The Halfblood Princess
by Theodora Snowbird
Summary: Remus was at the Burrow when Percy brought home Wormtail. In a panic, Peter took Harriet, and for the next fifteen years, they lived in the Forbidden Forest. He created a new world for them to live, in which he was king, and Harriet was his princess. But what happens when Harriet finds herself in the real world, face to face with Severus Snape? FEM!Harry GWL Snarriet AU COMPLETE!
1. Looking into the Eyes of the Dead

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

 **I know, I know. I shouldn't be started another new story, but this has been on my mind for a while. And of course, it's another weird one. ;)**

Chapter 1 Looking into the Eyes of the Dead

Remus was at a loss. Lily and James were gone while Sirius was… He didn't want to think about Sirius. And oh Merlin Peter… The only thing Remus knew was that he didn't want to be alone.

The Burrow was full of noise. Laughing, fighting children were sure to distract him. Then, he wouldn't have to think about never hearing James laugh again or seeing Lily make funny faces a little Harriet. There were too many memories to be alone with.

"Thank you for having me, Molly," Remus said as he accepted a steaming mug of tea that knew he wouldn't be able to drink. Food tasted like sand, and any liquid he swallowed hurt the constant lump in his throat. He couldn't bring himself to cry, and that made everything hurt worse.

Molly smiled, but tears were in her eyes, and for once, she didn't shove a plate full of food at him. "Any time Remus. The boys absolutely love you… Will Harriet be at the funeral?"

Remus shrugged. It was tomorrow, and part of him wanted to hide under the covers that day. Seeing Harriet hold out her chubby arms for him would be too much, especially since he knew he would never see her again. "Albus hasn't heard from Petunia. And there will be hundreds of people there, so maybe it's for the best."

Molly thinned her lips, trying to hold in her disapproval. Fortunately, one of her sons, Percy, came running in the sitting room with the twins trailing behind him. When Remus saw what the boy was holding, he spilled the hot tea all over himself.

"Mum—Ow!"

The rat bit the boy's finger and started to run, breaking Remus from his trance. In a flash he ripped out his wand and started sending stunners, hexes, anything he could think of. Just before it dove under the sofa, a revealing charm hit it in the back.

Peter spun around, and Remus found himself looking into the eyes of a dead man.

* * *

Sirius could barely function. All he could think about was how he failed Lily and James, how Peter was still out there. It certainly wasn't a happy memory. If only the dementors _could_ take it from him.

Honestly, Sirius had given up and was waiting to die. There was nothing left for him. Lily and James were dead. Remus thought he was the traitor. He supposed he deserved that. Would any of this have happened if he didn't think Remus was the traitor? Maybe then Remus would've been the Secret Keeper.

The last person Sirius expected to see was Remus, but there he was, a few weeks later. His face was haggard. His clothes were looser, but it was definitely Remus.

There were two aurors with him too, which made Sirius close his eyes in fear. Was he to get the Kiss? Surely Remus would want revenge. The desire for it was what landed Sirius here in the first place. Revenge drove people mad.

Since he couldn't see, Sirius nearly jumped out of his skin when Remus pulled him into a bone crushing hug. The man's tears soaked his prison robes, but he couldn't focus on what his old friend was sobbing. Where were the accusations? The curses? The threats?

"I'm sorry." Remus had no reason to be sorry. "He-he killed Slughorn, but we got the truth out of him. Albus is getting your release papers sorted. Slughorn gave Peter truth serum, and after speaking, he did it again. Blew Slughorn up and ran off as Wormtail."

What? Sirius too stunned to speak. Release papers? That couldn't be right. He was supposed to die here. It was only fitting, considering what happened to Lily and James.

"I…"

Remus, being Remus, knew exactly what he was thinking and was able to rip him out of self-pity and grief. "So we have to go get Harriet from Petunia."

* * *

He wasn't going to last long. Peter knew that. If he was going to make it, he needed a bargaining chip. Or at least someone to shield himself with. Harriet was the key. No one would try to hurt him if he was holding the baby.

The Ministry would never allow Remus to be entrusted with a baby. Countless friends would be willing, but she needed to be hidden from the wizarding world, from people like him. She had to be with Petunia.

Peter was running as Wormtail for nearly a week, jumping on trucks, eating out of trash cans. He didn't have much time. Sirius could be out of Azakaban now for all he knew. And Sirius wasn't going to let the aurors get a hold of him.

He thought he was going to have to break in, but there Harriet was, crying in a pram by herself in the backyard. No wonder James hated Petunia.

She stopped crying as soon as he turned back to herself. Harriet brightened as he smiled and wiped the tears off her fat cheeks. "Pee!"

"Shh, it's alright, Harry." Peter scooped her up and pulled out Slughorn's wand. With a triumphant laugh, he turned her into a mouse. "Daddy is going to take you home."

* * *

Petunia would not have that sniveling brat disturb Dudley's naptime, and she certainly wasn't going to let her take away attention from her angel. This was all Lily's fault. She thought she was so perfect and look at what happened to her! And now Petunia had to deal with what she left behind. Her lip curled in disgust as she poured herself a cup of tea. Hate was much less painful than love, at times like this.

An impatient ring from the doorbell brought Petunia back to reality. When the visitor started pressing the button nonstop, she swore. How dare this idiot disturb Dudley's rest?!

When Petunia opened the door, she almost screamed. "Black."

"Where's Harriet?" His face was grim, nothing like the careless ruffian who interrupted her dinner with Vernon, Lily, and James a few years ago.

"I'll get her." Petunia gulped when Black's eyes narrowed as he pushed past her. A light haired man gave her a look that was a mixture of pity and worry.

"Where's Harriet?" Black repeated. Petunia started shaking. Vernon was at work. She "forgot" to give Harriet a blanket. "Is she sharing a room with yours?"

"She-she's outside," Petunia managed to get out, flinching when Black took out his wand. "She likes fresh air."

"How would you know?" Black roared while the sickly looking man started to become alarmed. "WHY AREN'T YOU WITH HER?"

That was enough. This-this _freak_ was in her house, scaring her son. She had rights… But Black wasn't one to exactly play by the rules… Petunia pointed with a shaking hand in the direction of the backdoor. The sooner they left the better.

Black ran at an almost inhuman speed. The sickly man only followed when Black started screaming in horror. Petunia had a feeling they weren't leaving any time soon.

* * *

Harriet was a terrible hunter. She always prayed to the God of Life that her prey's death would be a quick, almost painless one, and since she was often on her knees in prayer in the middle of the chase, fish was more often eaten for dinner than rabbit. But today was different.

Daddy was sick, and she had to cheer him up. None of her pastes or potions was working, so maybe it was a sickness of the mind. Daddy was prone to them, and he loved rabbit, almost as much as berries. But the poor rabbit…

Harriet sighed as she watched the poor fellow squirming in her box trap. These sort of things weren't fair, in her opinion, but Daddy was the King of the Forest, and even though she was the princess, she should listen to him.

Chases were fairer. Harriet closed her eyes as she took out her spear. When Daddy was better, she would go back to chasing the rabbits.

* * *

"I caught 'im!" Harriet did her best to sound proud of herself as she slunk back to their cave. All she had to do was skin it. Daddy wanted a roast instead of stew.

Perhaps Daddy didn't have a sickness of the mind. His skin was a strange green color, and he was covered in bumps. Harriet jumped when he sneezed and sparks came out of his nose.

"Harry…" Daddy coughed and smiled weakly when she tossed the rabbit to the side and ran over to him. "No potion you can make is going to help me."

Harriet frowned. Potions could cure everything. "But…"

"You have to go to Civilization to get a potion that can."

No. That… Going to Civilization was against the law for a reason. People who lived there didn't respect the God of Life and sometimes denied him all together. They were the last two people on earth who respected life. And…

"The Banished are there," Harriet whispered, as if Daddy didn't know. Black, the Traitor Knight, and Lupin, Devourer of Humans. They had been after them ever since Black killed Mummy. Daddy banished them to keep the Forest safe.

Daddy put his sweaty hand over hers. "Harry, you are seventeen years old. I trust you to go to Civilization and bring back the cure. If you are quiet, they won't even know you're there. I know the nearest dwelling very well. You'll have to sneak in and take the cure. The Banished will not even be there."

"But…" Harriet tried to make Daddy lay back down as he reached for his spear. Maybe he did have a sickness of the mind. He started scratching strange, loopy symbols on their cave's floor.

"There will be a room filled with tiny, odd shaped bowls called vials," Daddy wheezed as he set to work. The symbols looked like _dragon pox cure._ Harriet had never seen such strange art. "Take a vial with these letters on them."

"Let-ters," Harriet said slowly.

"Symbols," Daddy corrected himself. He smiled as brightly as he could. "Not as beautiful as our art, is it?"

"No." How was she going to remember that? Her eyes filled with tears as Daddy sunk back in exhaustion. She had to try.

"I'm going to give you this." Daddy reached into his pocket and took out The Wand. Harriet's eyes widened. Only the king was allowed to use The Wand. "If you see anyone, use the Winter Hunting Spell. Don't hesitate, Harry. There will be no time for guilty prayers."

"But…" To kill another human was a terrible crime. It was why Black and Lupin were banished. Lupin ate their faithful servant, James, when she was a baby.

The Winter Hunting Spell took down large prey like deer, for when they needed a lot of meat to store for when it was too cold to hunt. Harriet never thought about it hurting a human before, although Daddy did say she must always stand behind him when he used it.

"If you do not do it, you are banished." Daddy's tiny eyes shifted as he tried to remain firm. Her lip quivered, and he softened immediately. "Or as good as, Harry. Because this sickness will kill me."

Harriet scrubbed at her eyes with her fists. Daddy said tears were for babies and that she was a woman, like Mummy. "I'll go."

Daddy nodded, and if she wasn't mistaken, his eyes were watering too. "I'll tell you the way as we eat."

* * *

"Once again Mr. Longbottom, you have nearly killed your class," Severus boomed. "Why Ms. Granger decided to help you get NEWTs, I will never know."

After seven years, he no longer felt satisfaction from dragging his least favorite student to his private stores. Curing his seventh year class was becoming a weekly occurrence. Granger must have helped Longbottom get into his class to torture him.

"You will be administering the cure along with me. Or they will perish," Severus exaggerated. The most that would happen was that someone would throw up. The house elves would take them to Poppy long before they actually started to die.

Longbottom whimpered. Did he really want to be an auror that badly? Severus sneered as he ripped open the door to his private stores. He froze and all the insults died on his lips when he saw someone was going through his potions.

"Lily," he gasped in disbelief. She was wearing furs and resembled a cavewoman, but he'd recognize her anywhere, even over fifteen years after her death.

She jumped and spun around to face him. Hazel eyes, the eyes of a dead man, looked into his with pure terror. He looked closer at her to see James Potter's nose too. "Harriet."

This couldn't be… Pettigrew killed Harriet years ago. Severus barely noticed her take out a wand.

 _"Avada Kedavra!"_

 **Make sure to let me know what you think! This is a Snarriet!**


	2. Introducing Princess Harriet

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 2 Introducing Princess Harriet

Severus pushed Longbottom to the ground, but there was no real reason to. The curse barely made the doorknob behind him jiggle. Harriet clearly never cast such a spell before.

Still, he didn't want to get stuck with a headache, even if it would be a mild one. He took out his wand before she could try to kill him again. For some reason, she seemed completely shocked that he too had a wand. _"Stupefy!"_

* * *

Albus, being Albus, immediately sent a Patronus to Black and Lupin instead of contacting the Ministry. Severus repressed the urge to throw up as Black stumbled through the floo a moment later and started crying hysterically. Lupin could only stare like the fool that he was.

"I sensed that someone had entered the castle." The old fool's eyes were twinkling brighter than Severus had seen in years. "But because her intentions were pure, I simply… let her be."

Severus looked at the vial in his hand. _Dog poison._ He kept it handy because Lupin often tried to bring Black to Gryffindor Quidditch games in an attempt to shake the man from his continuous depression. How could one stealing dog poison have pure intentions?

Black was sobbing like a newborn baby as he hugged Harriet close to his chest. Severus smirked when he saw the girl blink owlishly as his stunner began to wear off. This was going to be good.

Black only backed away slightly when Harriet started to whimper. "Harry! Where-where have you been—"

With a squeak, the girl was gone. Severus raised an eyebrow when a tiny brown mouse hopped out of Black's arms and started to make a run for it. It stopped near him though. He did his best to stay still as it started crawling up his pants. After a moment, he realized she was trying to take the dog poison.

"You can't read, can you?" Severus asked gently as he looked down at the tiny, black eyed creature. It squeaked but still bravely tried to jump for the vial. He moved the vial just out of her reach, so the mouse fell to the floor.

"Shut up, Snivellus!" Black roared as Harriet weakly tried to crawl back up his pants. Severus wondered what she thought it was. If it wasn't for sheer curiosity, he would have left long ago. At least, that's what he told himself.

"Sirius," Lupin whispered, speaking for the first time. The mouse froze. So she knew Black, or she thought she did. Interesting… "You're scaring her."

But Black had been waiting for this moment for over fifteen years. Severus couldn't resist ruining it for him and did his best not to grin as he scooped up the mouse and put it in his pocket. Like the savage that he was, Black charged at him. Unfortunately, Lupin grabbed him by his arms before the fight could start. The mouse quivered in his breast pocket.

"So…" Severus chuckled as Black continued to curse and struggle. "You were right, Black. The girl isn't dead. That only leaves the question of where Pettigrew is."

His words reduced Black to an exhausted panting, but Lupin was a lot smarter than Severus gave him credit for. He didn't let go. "Severus," the werewolf nearly pleaded. "We've been looking for her for so long."

"No." Severus sneered at the wolf. He thought the girl was dead as well, but Lupin was a man who festered in guilt. "Black has. You gave up a few months after the baby was taken. You've only been humoring him so he wouldn't do himself in."

"That's a lie," Black spat. All further threats died on his lips when the mouse popped its tiny light brown head out of Severus's pocket. He watched with narrow eyes as it tried to crawl down his arm, to the vial of dog poison.

"It's poison," Severus said. The mouse paused but continued its journey, either not believing him or not knowing what poison was. "Change back, Harriet. This is ridiculous."

Another pause. With an annoyed grunt, Severus picked up the mouse by its tail and pointed his wand at it. It squeaked and tried to run as Black screamed bloody murder. For Merlin's sake.

With a blue flash, Harriet was back. She held her hands up and backed away a step. "I mean you no harm! But I need that for the king."

The king? Severus almost laughed. "You mean Peter Pettigrew?"

Harriet glared at him as Black finally started to calm down. "You had no reason to summon the Banished."

"Poi-son," Severus enunciated and held up the vial. "This will make him sicker."

For some reason, she believed him. The girl stared at the vial, and her eyes filled with tears as she tried to figure out what letters she mixed up or forgot. "But…"

"I don't understand." Of course Black didn't understand. He reached out to touch Harriet and actually looked surprised when she jumped away. Pettigrew hadn't "banished" him for no reason. It was actually pretty clever. The rat raised the girl to fear and avoid the only two men who were still looking for her.

"Peter's sick, Sirius," Lupin said quietly. "So he sent Harriet to find a potion to cure him. But she can't read, so she picked up the wrong potion."

"Perhaps we should call Cornelius." Albus clearly didn't want to do that but kept his cheerful demeanor when he turned to Harriet. He even kept up with her delusions. "What is wrong with the king?"

"He's skin is green." Slowly, Harriet reached into her furs and took out a spear. So she wasn't stupid, out of her bloody mind, but not stupid. "And bumpy."

Albus pretended he didn't see it and prompted, "And sparks came out of his nose when he sneezed?"

So Pettigrew somehow contracted dragon pox. So the "d" for dog was mistaken for the "d" for dragon while the "p" and "o" for poison made her think she was reading pox. Severus snorted as Harriet nodded.

"Let him die," the idiot Black spat. Even Lupin closed his eyes at his stupidity.

Harriet pointed her spear at Black. "You killed Mummy." All the color drained from Black's face as she spun to face Lupin and her face contorted with disgust. "And you, Lupin, Devourer of Humans." Oh this was absolutely delicious. "You ate our servant, James. You should have been killed for your crimes, but Daddy was merciful! He respects the God of Life, unlike you! Now, step aside, or you will be slain!"

She couldn't read but had a better vocabulary than a lot of his students. Severus almost laughed at the ironic insanity of her little speech. Pettigrew was definitely going to get the Kiss for this.

Lupin looked sick. "Harry." Her grip tightened on her spear, so the wolf held up his hands to show that he was unarmed. "Harry, Peter kidnapped you. He's not your father. James is."

Like she would believe the "Devourer of Humans," if she even knew what kidnapped meant. As expected, she shook her head. "Relinquish the cure, and I too will be merciful."

"We'll give it to you." Albus held up a hand to silence Black. Severus felt his heart sink. The old man was planning on tricking the girl. Hardly fair, since she had only memories were of speaking to one person who weaved nonexistent tales into her head. "But you'll have to answer a few questions first. And receive some medical care."

She considered this, probably not knowing that she no longer had Slughorn's wand and that the spear wouldn't get her very far. "…I am the healer of the Forest. There is no need."

She didn't smell and seemed to have all her teeth. But Severus could tell by her occasional itching that she had lice, and her many furs couldn't hide her thin face and dry skin. And of course, Poppy was going to have questions that would put Black into another rage.

Albus nodded, almost to himself. "Alright. Well Harriet, I am going to call some people to ask you these questions. And Severus here will bring you the cure."

Hazel eyes slid to Lupin and Black. She wanted to kill them, and Black was finally starting to understand. Lily would hate him for taking such satisfaction in Black's devastation. James Potter's eyes turned to him. "I will go with you. To make sure you aren't tricking me."

"You can't read," Severus said flatly. He could only imagine what his students were going to say at the sight of her. "Don't be stupid."

She stared at him blankly. Although he hated to admit it, she was the most interesting person he had ever met. If Pettigrew didn't use a word around her, she didn't know it. He was her entire world.

"She isn't stupid!" Black yelled, tensing when Harriet put her spear to his throat. This was the best day of his life. "Harry—"

"Let her, Sirius." It pained Lupin to say it. Good. "She doesn't feel safe around us."

"And she's safe around him?" Black snapped. "He's a—"

"I trust Severus," Albus said darkly while Severus found himself a little disappointed. Surely Pettigrew made something up about Death Eaters. "So he will bring Harriet back shortly."

Harriet turned so she was facing all four of them, ready to attack. "Only him."

Lupin looked pained but squeezed Black's arm so he wouldn't protest. The wolf whispered, "Dora will be here soon. We'll have plenty of time with her."

After another whisper from Lupin, Black gave in. Severus wondered if it was a threat or promises to plan on how to get the girl on their side. Either way, he was stuck with the little savage. He rolled his eyes as he started to leave, and she started to follow him backwards, pointing the spear at Black and Lupin as they headed down the stairs.

* * *

She only turned around when the gargoyle closed behind them. Severus cringed when he heard a bark and spotted a large black dog trotting after them. Great. But since she was the "healer of the Forest," Harriet didn't think much of it. "You froze me."

"Stunned," Severus corrected as he checked his watch. Luckily the next bell wouldn't ring for nearly an hour. "You tried to kill me."

The obvious guilt on her face made the mutt lick her hand. She jumped and hesitantly scratched behind its ears. "Wolves aren't always nice."

"Dog," Severus corrected before wanting to kick himself. If he didn't stop, they would be doing this back and forth all day. Harriet thinned her lips, reminding him of Petunia. "And don't change the subject."

"The king—"

"Do you do everything the king tells you?" Even Black was interested. Severus was sure the brat was completely brainwashed, so her tiny, almost secretive smile threw him off. It wasn't Lily's smile, but it wasn't Potter's either.

"He doesn't like it when I talk to the pixies." Ah. That's what it was. Pure insanity. Black wagged his tail. "Or when I pray while hunting."

"But you didn't hesitate to kill me," Severus said as they walked down the stairs. Her eyes bulged at the portraits, waiting for them to jump out. "So much for respecting what was it? The God of Life?"

The Evans temper flared at the challenge towards her faith. Stupid Black growled. "Because you would've killed me. That's what the members of Civilization do. Kill whoever gets in their way."

"And yet here you are," Severus said dryly.

Harriet considered this. Like he said before, she wasn't stupid. Her reality just wasn't… real. He wondered if she would ever accept that.

They kept walking in silence. Severus almost felt guilty when he realized that he exposed her "king" as a liar for the first time. He made people outside of the forest seem like coldblooded killers, and Severus pointed out that he had the chance to kill her in cold blood and chose not to. And he was going to give her what she wanted.

"Look familiar?" he asked when he held up the cure for dragon pox and pointed at the label. The look she gave him was so grateful and joyous that he almost turned away. She was so much like Lily…

Harriet reached out for the vial, but her fingers curled into her hand when she remembered Albus's conditions. "Take the cure and come with me."

The mutt whimpered and tried to lick her hand again. Severus didn't know whether to laugh or scream. The sooner the girl was committed, the better. "Excuse me?"

She nodded like she was being perfectly reasonable. "You can be my consort." Oh God… "Our children will rule the Forest one day."

Black started growling while Severus stared open mouthed like an idiot. As if this couldn't get any worse, Granger popped her head in. "Sir, we missed a great deal of class time—" The bookworm blinked when Harriet took out her spear. "This… She tried to kill Neville! Why hasn't she been arrested?!"

"How many of you are there?!" Harriet shrieked. "Who is this?"

"Probably your future reading tutor." It would be best to ignore her previous question. Hopefully Black would be smart enough to not bring it up again. Lupin's wife had to have arrived. "C'mon, Harriet. I'm already sick of you."

* * *

From what Remus said, poor Harriet wasn't fit for a preschool. Tonks bit her nails as she waited for her to come back. She was an auror! Not a social worker!

The bell rang a few minutes before they arrived. And Remus covered his hand with his mouth, realizing that all the students were going to be flooding out of their classrooms. Was it that bad?

The deer caught in headlights expression told her it was. She clung to Snape, and even though Padfoot kept snapping at the man's ankles, the potion's master walked as if nothing was out of the ordinary with his usual dour expression.

"Wotcher, Harry!" Tonks held out her hand and kept her false smile as Harriet only frowned fearfully. "I'm Remus's wife. And I have a few questions for you. Let's start with a few simple ones. How old are you?"

"Seventeen," she squeaked as Remus shook his head at Padfoot, silently telling him not to change back.

"That's right!" Tonks found herself using a soft, sweet voice that she usually reserved for soothing a frightened Teddy. "And that means you're an adult, and the two of us can talk alone. Perhaps with your dog?"

The grip on Snape's arm tightened, causing Padfoot to growl until he spotted a stern look from Remus. Tonks faltered. No one liked Snape. How the bloody hell did this happen?

But she wasn't an auror for nothing. According to Remus, Harriet was brainwashed to believe Sirius killed her mum, and that Remus ate James. Snape had the chance to kill her and didn't. _And_ he was going to give her the cure that would save her "father," who, up until this morning, was the only person in the entire world she knew.

"Severus can come too," Tonks said as sweetly as she could, already dreading it.

"And then we can leave." _We?_ At her words, Snape blushed and looked at his shoes. _Blushed._ Severus Snape didn't blush. Padfoot's hairs and hackles rose.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dumbledore nod. "Right… So, let's go to the conference room."

* * *

She wasn't Remus's wife for nothing either. "It's chocolate," Tonks said as she pushed a plate towards Harriet. "It's delicious."

Harriet didn't take it. Smart girl. Severus sat a few chairs away, pretending to be disinterested as Padfoot circled him. With yet another hopefully reassuring smile, Tonks popped a piece of chocolate in her mouth. Harriet still didn't take it. Really smart girl.

"So…" Tonks suddenly felt like a fool. Sirius had been waiting for this for most of her life, so she pounced on the opportunity when Kingsley announced it in the office. Now, she had no idea what to say or do. "This is a chair," she informed the girl when she didn't take a seat. She didn't look offended, only mildly interested. "We, uh, sit in it."

So much for sparking her curiosity. Tonks looked quickly around the room for something interesting and only ended up tripping and falling flat on her face. The chocolate was supposed to be what got her talking.

"You're a walking amusement, Nymphadora." Stupid Snape always sounding superior. Just who did he think… Oh yeah!

"Want to see something cool?" Tonks jumped up and dusted herself off as she changed her bubblegum pink hair to cotton candy blue. Harriet lit up but didn't say anything. "I've heard that you can turn into a mouse. Not many people can turn into an animal at will. Takes a lot of talent."

Harriet beamed, thank Merlin. But then her face fell. Shit! Did she realize that Sirius suddenly wasn't around and a big black dog was? "I can't do it on my own," she confessed. "The God of Life turns me into one when I'm in trouble. Because I'm the princess. He does the same for Daddy too. Only he's turns into a rat."

Tonks glanced at Severus, who only raised an eyebrow. What? "Oh." Padfoot stopped his circling and rolled his eyes at her. "Well, that's a talent all in its own. You're very interesting, Harriet. I'd like to hear more about you."

She may be smart, but she had a bit of Lily's innocence too. The girl absolutely adored the blue hair. Maybe she'd keep it. Teddy would like it too. "Can you teach me that?"

"Soon." Thank Merlin for magic. "I have to ask you a few tough questions, Harriet. Would you like to take a seat?"

Slowly, Harriet obeyed. If someone told her that a person who liked Snape would also like her, Tonks would've laughed in their face. They were total opposites, obviously. "Some of them might seem silly though…" Silly, more like depraved. "Or perhaps not." Hopefully they were. "Do you have any children, Harriet?"

It was getting cold, and since Pettigrew was without a wand, infants wouldn't last long. Plus, if Pettigrew managed to escape, they needed to know if anyone was with him.

Tonks breathed a sigh of relief when Harriet wrinkled her nose in confusion. "There are only two people left in the Forest Kingdom, because the temptations of gluttony in Civilization lured those who were not pure of heart away."

"Yes…" This was too hard. Kingsley was right to say she was too emotionally involved. Harriet was only a baby when… Tonks took a deep breath. Albus said not to get angry or challenge what Pettigrew had taught the girl. "But… Do you know how children are made, Harriet?" She shushed Padfoot when he started to growl. "Did Pe—the king ever give you any?"

Harriet gaped, and Severus snorted. It was a question she had to ask! Pettigrew, the heartless killer, kidnapped a baby and kept her in the woods for over fifteen years! Nothing was beneath him.

"Civilization is full of the wicked!" Harriet whispered, almost to herself. "Such things are illegal in the Kingdom but—"

"It's illegal here too," Tonks said before a breakdown could be triggered. "We-we wanted to make sure…"

And like that, she lost her. Harriet shot out of the chair. "I bet you beat your children too! Sick! You all have sicknesses of the mind! Disgusting, just like Daddy said! Gluttonous, prideful—"

 _"Sopor."_ The look Severus gave her almost turned Tonks into a scared, first year Hufflepuff. Harriet crashed to the floor as she fell into a deep sleep, and she felt as stupid as she had her first year in her first Potions class. "Smooth."

"Like you could've done any better," Tonks snapped. Remus was going to be so disappointed.

"Apparently I can, because she wants to marry me," Snape drawled with an eye roll. So that was what had him blushing. At that, Sirius changed back into himself.

"You'd like that wouldn't you, Snivellus," Sirius spat. "She looks just like Lily!"

Snape pointed his wand at Sirius. "She's mentally disabled, you idiot."

"There's nothing wrong with her!"

"Hey!" Tonks yelled. "This doesn't change the fact that we have no idea what to do."

"What do you mean?" Sirius's sense of justice had nothing to do with the justice system. "The rat's dying. Let him die alone in the cold. We'll take the baby home—"

"She's seventeen, has lice, is illiterate, and wet herself at the sight of the Hogwarts student body."

Sirius shrunk into himself a little at Snape's harsh dose of reality. "…Thank you. For magiking that away. Before anyone noticed."

For the first time, in well, ever, Tonks saw Snape look guilty. "She has no concept of how many people there are in the world. And thinks they're all like what Pettigrew truly is. I should've waited to take her back to the headmaster's office until after the bell rang."

This was bad. So bad that Tonks was starting to believe that Remus's fears were well founded. Harriet would have to spend the rest of her life in the Janus Thickey Ward. Sirius was going to be heartbroken, but at least he would be able to visit her every day.

Guilty Snape was not something Tonks was going to get used to. He sighed. "We have to get Pettigrew. The Dark Lord is still out there. We can't risk Pettigrew recovering and rushing off to his aid. Don't act rashly, Black. It's what started this in the first place."

The slimy git couldn't resist that last bit, could he? Tonks felt her blood boil and waited for Sirius to hex him into next week. Instead, Sirius only looked defeated and old. He had been looking for Harriet for too long and was rewarded with finding she feared and hated him. She thought he killed Lily, something he still struggled with.

"I'll get Albus," he said quietly.

* * *

Nymphadora (Severus called her that because he knew she hated it) put on a big show of apologizing to the girl and rewarding her with the dragon pox cure. The temptation to switch it with a deadly, torturous poison almost hurt. He was about to confront the man that handed Lily over to Voldemort.

Harriet took the potion cautiously and opened the bottle to sniff it. With a small smile, she stuffed it in her pocket. Poisons smelled sweet. Healing potions smelled bitter.

Nymphadora, Lupin, and Albus along with himself followed Harriet into the Forbidden Forest under Invisibility Cloaks. For once, Black was smart and stayed behind.

For about an hour, she walked, stuffing berries and herbs in her pockets as she went. Then along came the Cornish pixies.

Harriet whispered to them and giggled as they played with her hair. Severus took out his wand, but Albus disillusioned his arm and stopped him. Old fool.

One flew to Harriet's ear and whispered something. She tensed and glanced over her shoulder in their direction. Another blue devil whispered something in her other ear. Lupin ripped off his cloak a split second after she broke out in a full on sprint. He was surrounded by idiots.

Harriet knew the Forbidden Forest better than any of them. She used the trees as covers for stunners and even managed to lead Nymphadora into a thick spider web. The pixies were laughing and flying with her through the trees.

And she was fast. James Potter fast. The sickly Lupin was gasping for air in a matter of minutes. Albus was apparating in between trees and still couldn't keep up. Severus almost caught her after charming his shoes.

Harriet and the pixies dived head first into a river that lead out into the Black Lake. Severus skidded to a halt at the freezing cold water before jumping in, wondering if Harriet could swim. It was a diversion. The pixies were out first, and his heart lurched when he saw them flying off with the cure.

Harriet popped her head out of the water and grinned with blue lips. "I've got more thoughts in my head than you!"

That was her way of saying she was smarter. Severus was beginning to wonder if she was right.

 **So that's Chapter Two! I'm working on** _ **That Explains A Lot…**_ **I promise. ;) Thank you for all the support and to A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess for reviewing! Does anyone want Newt Scamander to make an appearance?**


	3. Back to the Real World… Or Not…

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 3 Back to the Real World… Or Not…

In Severus's mind, the worst thing that could've happened would be Pettigrew apparating with Harriet deeper into the Forbidden Forest. Like everyone else, he had deluded himself into thinking that she was infant-like. He had been outsmarted. He would not make that mistake again.

Chattering teeth broke him from his thoughts. With poorly controlled rage, he grabbed Harriet's arms and squeezed the triumph right out of her. "Do you realize what you have done?"

Fear clouded her eyes, but her Gryffindor blood wouldn't allow her to cower. She was stronger than he thought too and shoved him so hard he almost fell. "You were going to capture the king! The pixies told me!"

"PIXIES CAN'T TALK!" Before he knew it, all of the anger he kept in since Lily's death came flooding out. "You let the man who killed your parents and dozens more free! How many deaths are you now responsible for? Hundreds because he is going to restore the Dark Lord to full power!"

According to her, half of what he said was a lie and the other half was pure nonsense. Worse, she had Lily's cheek. With a childlike pout, she folded her arms over her chest and turned away from him, grumbling, "Pixies _can_ talk."

"You are going to spend the rest of your life in a strait jacket," Severus snarled. "Locked away in a tiny room—"

"Severus." Albus was grim, understanding his anger but not tolerating it. Typical. "We need to bring Harriet back to the castle."

"I'm not going!" she spat. They were still standing in the icy water like idiots. Severus was so angry that he barely noticed. "You are trespassing in the Forest Kingdom now! Your laws, or lack there of, don't apply here."

"The Forbidden Forest," Albus said calmly, "is Hogwarts property. Your laws don't exist. Never have."

Harriet's eyes bounced from tree to tree, but there was not a Cornish pixie in sight and panic was starting to set in. Slowly, she climbed out of the river and started heading in the direction the pixies left. Lupin started to call her name, but Nymphadora elbowed him and whispered to cast drying and heating charms on her. Severus want to strangle her.

For forty five minutes, they walked in silence. Harriet had a lost look about her, knowing that the only person in the world who understood her was not going to be home when she returned. It struck Severus that after all this time; she was always less than half a day's walk away.

She stopped at a small cave. A Cornish pixie landed on her shoulder and patted her cheek. Somehow, he had enough self-control to stop himself from grabbing it and squeezing until its bones were crushed.

The cave was empty, obviously. Harriet picked up the empty vial and stuffed it in one of her many pockets. A fat tear rolled down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away.

"Let's go home, Harry," Lupin said hoarsely.

She was outnumbered, but Severus still expected her to put up a fight. He pulled out his wand when she lifted up a rock. This was his chance to get revenge.

His boiling blood froze when she took out a little stone doll with what looked like some of her hair charmed on its head. Bright green paint filled the little indents that were made for the eyes. Harriet put it in the same pocket as the vial.

"Make sure the giant spiders didn't get him," she whispered to the pixie. _If only,_ Severus thought as it zipped away. Another appeared and whispered in her ear again. "Such magic is forbidden… I do not know of that forest…"

"Where, Harriet?" Albus was back to his cheerful self, minus the damned eyes. Did he really think he could trick her again? Everyone spoke to her as if she was a child. That was what got them in this mess in the first place. "It wouldn't happen to be the Albanian Forest, would it?"

Harriet kept her face blank until the pixie giggled, and she shot it a look of betrayal. Whose side was the beast on? So Pettigrew went straight to Voldemort, straight to the man who wanted his "daughter" dead.

"Well, the adults are going to have to speak about this Harriet, but there is someone I want you to meet." Oh, Albus certainly thought she had the mind of a four year old. Severus was going to have to set him straight at the Order meeting. "Her name is Poppy."

* * *

Harriet went with them because she was sure that Daddy would return to the Forest. She would sneak out every night, while they were sleeping. If they trusted her, they wouldn't notice. Daddy only left because he knew one of the Banished entered the Forest. He was going to come back for her. He just needed time to recover.

They all thought she had no thoughts in her head, like a baby. Severus was the only one she had to look out for. He wasn't like the other members of Civilization. He worried for her. She could tell. But the old man, King of Civilization, had obviously tricked him. Perhaps she could make him see reality.

The woman, Poppy, was a healer like her. But she was a strange healer. A Civilization healer. She wanted her to take off her furs.

"I can make the itching on your head go away," the woman said gently. "But I want to see how much you weigh and if you have any more bites or injuries. Really! What was Albus thinking? You should have been brought to me straight away!"

"Healing bites is a waste unless they make you sick," Harriet muttered. Civilization wasted everything. They didn't understand that the God of Life could only create so much.

Poppy smiled softly. "The world is a lot bigger than you think it is, Harriet. But, if you don't want me to heal the bites, I can still comb the bugs out of your hair. _And_ I can give you clothes that aren't so heavy."

They would take all the treasures and food in her pockets. But this weird cave called a castle was so hot. No one wore furs even though it was the end of fall. But then they would take everything she had of Mummy _and_ the only thing she had left of Daddy.

"Don't cry!" Poppy was right. Crying was for babies. "You can keep your furs in your room. I can show it to you, if you like. If you promise to let me make sure you're healthy."

A noise made Harriet jump out of her skin. It was the noise that brought out all the people yesterday. There were too many… They were going to tear her to pieces! They—

"We'll go to your room first." Poppy was soft, quiet, unlike the hordes of people out there. Maybe she could convince her to live in the Forest with her, Daddy, and Severus.

* * *

"Are you sure we should leave her with Poppy?" After over a decade of worrying, Sirius was more prone to panic attacks than rages. He lost the fight in him when Harriet turned eleven, and everyone went to Hogwarts without her. Now, Pettigrew was on the loose, and they left the baby with the most severe woman on the planet besides Minnie.

Snape sneered at him. "She actually has experience with abused children, unlike Nymphadora."

"I tried!" Tonks cried, still torn with guilt over the interview.

And Sirius was sure Snape was never going to let her forget. "You jumped from talking about hair to sexual abuse."

"But we aren't here to talk about Harriet." Albus held up a hand to silence them. "We're here to talk about Voldemort."

"She was obviously loved," Remus hated to admit. Sirius wondered if he was trying to comfort him or himself. "The doll… I don't think she would be as brave as she is if Peter was hurting her. Would he really run off to Voldemort?"

"He most certainly would." Albus brought his hands together and rested his chin on the tips of his fingers, vacantly staring at the map of the Albanian forest. "He no longer has his human shield. We need to begin preparing…"

"For another war," Snape finished.

They talked for nearly two hours before Sirius couldn't take it anymore and left for the Hospital Wing. There was only so much they could do, since Voldemort wasn't actually here yet, and they didn't have his exact location. Most of the hour was spent trying to figure out who to trust and ask to join the Order. Half an hour was spent trying to figure out how to convince Fudge to be on their side.

"Change into Padfoot," Remus whispered as he rose from his seat. "And stop referring to her as "the baby.""

Both of those requests were hard. After all these years, he never stopped picturing Harry as a one and a half year old. The fact that Poppy whispered to him that she was going to try to teach the girl to use the toilet didn't help.

Harriet's eyes used to light up at the sight of him. Now they were full of distrust and fear. Sirius wondered if she would ever smile at him again.

"Hello." Sirius tried not to react to seeing her in a Hogwarts uniform. She should be sleeping through some lecture right now, not looking uncomfortable and near tears.

"This is a lot to take in." What the hell? Since when was Pomfrey sweet and reassuring? Where was this Pomfrey when James shoved doxy poop his nose? "We're always open to questions."

She was curled up, like she felt naked and wanted to cover herself. Without meeting his eye, she asked, "Why'd you kill Mummy?"

Albus said to teach her in pieces, that all of the truth was too hard for her, or anyone, to process or believe. Sirius didn't know what to say. Years of therapy forced him to tell himself that it was all Peter, who she called "the king" or worse "Daddy."

"I didn't mean to," Sirius said quietly as Pomfrey's eyes widened. "It was more that I couldn't protect them, I-I mean her, like I should have."

Harriet still wouldn't look at him. He tried to imagine what it would be like to be thrown into a world so frightening and be told that everything you knew was a lie. He couldn't fathom it. "You were a knight. It was your job. The kingdom fell apart because of you."

"I know." His hoarse voice finally made her look at him. Pomfrey was shushing him, but he ignored her. He was telling the truth. Remus and that stupid mind healer were wrong. He did kill Lily. "I thought I was protecting her. And you. I trusted the wrong person."

"You fed her to the Snake." She was waiting for him to deny everything. There was a sad hopefulness in her eyes. Sirius felt sick. "You told The Great Snake where she was, and he ate her."

"I…" Sirius shuddered. The best lies had some truth in them. Pettigrew telling her this when he in fact was the one… He wanted to throw up. "I entrusted the wrong person with your location. Someone… Someone that I shouldn't have. He told the-the Great Snake, and it's all my fault."

"Daddy loved her very much." Harriet was searching his face, trying to find a lie. But she had been lied to her entire life. Still, she didn't completely trust him. "If that's what truly happened, he's sure to forgive you."

Sirius closed his eyes as the room started spinning. He tried to lie to himself, say that she was talking about James. But reality kept throwing cold water in his face. She was talking about Pettigrew, and although she had Lily's heart, he could tell that she wasn't sure if she should believe him. He wasn't sure what to believe himself.

* * *

The meeting was concluding. Lupin and his wife left in the middle of it after Poppy sent a Patronus stating that Black just threw ten years of therapy out the window in less than ten minutes. Severus literally had to bite his tongue. Who thought it was a good idea to let two lunatics talk to each other?

"When will she get put away?" Severus asked Albus bluntly as soon as the room was cleared.

"You can't be angry with her, Severus," Albus said as he rolled up his maps and plans. "She is not capable—"

"She is very capable," Severus snapped. All of them underestimated her, and he was the only one who learned his lesson. She was not as easily manipulated as the Order seemed to think. Pettigrew had her over fifteen years. They have had her for a grand total of two days. "And worse, she already knows that everyone thinks she's stupid. She's going to play all of you like fiddles. And the Dark Lord—"

"She is a lot less developmentally delayed than I originally thought," Albus admitted. "But I believe it was the Cornish pixies that orchestrated everything. They do love to cause trouble."

"Then you are a fool." So it was up to him to keep the brat in line. Wonderful.

* * *

Harriet narrowed her eyes at the black wolf sleeping in her bed. Daddy only let her keep mice as pets, and they didn't like to stay very long. This one kept coming back. She pretended to sleep and every time she sat up, it did too and licked her face. It was pretending to sleep too.

The wolf only didn't follow her if she went to the room with the magic bowl that sent away her waste. (The wretched sound scared her, but they wouldn't let her go outside alone.) Harriet peaked out of the room with the magic bowl to see the black dog waiting for her at the other side, wagging its tail.

Something about it wasn't wolf right. Wolves stayed away from people. The pups didn't always, and that made the mothers mean. Could the king of Civilization have sent him? Harriet narrowed her eyes as she walked passed it, and it followed. Its coloring was wrong too. Only someone from Civilization could make such a mistake. Was it even a wolf?

With a deep breath, Harriet walked slowly towards the door. The wolf barked and trotted after her. She was starting to sweat, even in these thin furs. She had to get away from it.

Harriet bolted for the door and shut it right in the barking creatures face. She put all her weight against it but screamed when she heard someone turning a knob on the other side. A wolf couldn't do that.

Black the Traitor Knight ripped the door open, causing her to fall on her bottom. His grey eyes widened at being caught as Harriet tried to crawl away backwards. He was waiting for her to fall asleep so he could feed her to the Great Snake! Just like Mummy!

"Harry—"

He made to grab her, but luckily the blessing from the God of Life turned her into a mouse. Her own terrified squeaking hurt her ears as Black turned back into a dog and started chasing after her. Now she knew the truth. She was wrong to believe him before. He was a liar.

* * *

"I-I couldn't catch her," Black sobbed uncontrollably in Albus's office. "She-she went back to him!"

What a surprise. With only Black guarding her, Harriet managed to escape within hours. _She is a lot less developmentally delayed than I originally thought._ Albus Dumbledore was a fucking idiot. Harriet was completely and utterly insane, but she was not developmentally delayed in the slightest. If anything, Severus thought she had an above average intelligence.

"She wouldn't have the slightest clue how to get to Albania," Lupin tried to soothe, but that only made Black cry harder.

"She's only afraid of me!" he wailed. "She only turns into a mouse when I touch her."

"You mean when you grab her," Severus couldn't resist saying. Half the Order turned their pitying eyes away from Black to stare at him. "Think about it, Black. They lived in a forest. An animal trying to eat her would grab or bite her. So Pettigrew charmed her to change into a mouse if that were to happen."

Mentioning Pettigrew managed to stop Black's incessant sobs. Finally. It was like dealing with a toddler. "He doesn't give a damn about her."

If he didn't loathe Black, would he respond? It was doubtful. He didn't even completely believe his words himself. "He loves her. Before he became ill, they were blissfully—"

He wordlessly blocked Black's hex with a wave of his wand. Despite Lupin's protests, they were dueling their way across the headmaster's office. He caught Albus's eyes when he backed up and almost rolled his eyes at the disappointment. Black hexed him first.

"She is not in Albania," Severus panted as he hexed the skin off Black's nose. "Until a few days ago, she only knew of one place in the world. Do you really think she's going to search for another? She's back at the cave, you idiot."

Black's wand was at his throat as the mutt huffed and puffed, trying to calm himself down. "Where is she?" he seethed. "Tell me where she is. Now."

"So you can grab her again?" Severus taunted. Black should've given up on Harriet like everyone else. The constant searching, worrying, and hoping drove him mad. Now that she was actually here, the dog couldn't handle it. "I'll fetch her."

"Over my dead body!"

With a sneer, Severus jabbed his wand into the man's ribs. What a sight they must be to the Order. Black's wand at his throat, his at Black's ribs, their hateful faces inches apart.

"Severus has an interesting bond with Harriet," Albus finally interjected. "Perhaps—"

"So does Poppy," Black spat. "An interesting bond! He's a Death Eater! He'll kill her for his master!"

" _You_ will kill her!" Severus roared. "Look at what you're doing! You've been waiting for this for so long that you can't handle it! She's brainwashed, and you're trying to force everything she's learned over her entire life out in one go! Did you really think you were going to find her, and everything was going to be normal?"

Lupin put his hand on Black's shoulder, causing the man to crumbling again. He didn't have turning into the mutt for cover anymore. Now he would always be the one who killed Lily to Harriet, not the nice "wolf" as she called him.

But he didn't care. Black deserved all the suffering that came his way. Severus turned away from him and started leaving Albus's office, only stopping when Lupin started whispering to Black and he caught the word "Lily." He had to do this, for Lily.

* * *

Harriet managed to start a fire, but with the thin furs called clothes, she couldn't get warm. They were grey, not brown, so it was harder to blend in. She went straight to the cave. Daddy should be back by now. The cure was strong. She could smell it.

But he wasn't at the cave. He was still hiding from _them_. He was going to come back. He had to. He was the king.

Crying was for babies. She knew she shouldn't do it, but she was all alone. The spiders must've got him.

"Everything Black is telling you is true." Severus. He raised his eyebrows when she scrubbed her tears away. Maybe crying wasn't only for babies in Civilization. "He simply doesn't understand that it's too much."

"I have thoughts in my head," Harriet mumbled.

"And don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Severus walked into the cave but for some reason, didn't sit beside her. Something was strange about him. Like an animal, he seemed wary of people. "But you would agree that this is overwhelming. Do you know what I mean by that?"

"Too much. Like when you have a sickness of the mind." She turned to face Severus, waiting for him to deny sicknesses of the mind. Civilization was so depraved that they didn't try to heal illnesses that corrupted thoughts.

"Yes…" He crouched down, studying her, like Daddy studies her garden. "You smelled that potion before you took it. It smelled strong, didn't it?" Harriet nodded and drew her knees to her chest, knowing where he was going with this. "So you know that it worked instantly, right?"

"The king will return," Harriet pressed. She knew the king better than anyone. They acted like they knew him, but she knew lies when she saw them. "You keep coming back. If you stopped coming back—"

"Why would a king be afraid of me?" Severus challenged. Because there were too many of them that's why! Hordes of monstrous people who were hell bent on destroying Life! Perhaps he sensed her thoughts because he withdrew a moment later. "What do you know about magic?"

"Only the king can use it." Harriet leaned away from him. Was this another trick?

"But you will be queen one day." His words were so smooth that she knew it was a trick. He wanted her to go back to Civilization, to stop waiting for Daddy. "Don't you think it would be appropriate for you to learn magic?"

"I have to wait." His lips twitched. Harriet couldn't recall seeing him smile yet. Not many smiled around her. "Everyone tries to trick me."

"And you let them, so you could come back here." He actually smiled at that. Harriet stared at his lips until he frowned again. Smiling didn't seem to be something he did often. "But now you're alone. And freezing."

"Black was trying to feed me to the Great Snake." Harriet narrowed her eyes when he tensed. So it was true. "Like he did to Mummy."

"Black's explanation to you was surprisingly gentle." He was still tense, and suddenly wouldn't look at her. "And was true. Vague, but true. What about Lupin? What are the details to his story?"

"What do you know about the Great Snake?" Silence. And he was pretending to be preoccupied with her and Daddy's art on the cave walls. "Did you worship him? Many worshiped him but—"

"I did not worship him." He was angry, not secretive. Something was still off about him. He knew the Great Snake personally and was afraid. She was sure of it. "But I want to know about Lupin."

And she wanted to know about the Great Snake. Even Daddy was afraid to talk about him. Severus was the only one around who knew she could think like an adult. "The Great Snake killed Mummy, destroyed the kingdom—"

"And what about Lupin?" Severus pressed. He was changing the subject. Did he even care about the Devourer of Humans? Harriet wasn't sure. There was only one way to find out.

"Can you teach me magic?"

* * *

Remus felt overwhelmed. In his mind, Harriet had died that first winter, when temperatures dropped below zero at night, and Peter only had a wand that wasn't his. He would never tell Sirius this, of course. Harriet was his only will to live since Lily and James died. Remus was still trying to process that she was actually still alive.

"We should be in Diagon Alley," Sirius grunted as he heaved another box of wands into the Hospital Wing. Ollivander refused to work without _all_ of his wands.

"She can't handle meeting more than a few people at once," Remus whispered. It was tempting to remind Sirius of Feather Weight Charms, but he didn't want the other man to notice how attached Harriet was becoming to Severus, how she studied his every move and how Severus studied hers. Surely, Severus knew better.

Sirius panted as he threw a box on one of the beds. He frowned when Remus put his down with ease but otherwise, didn't question it. "Well, how's she going to start school if she doesn't get used to crowds?"

 _She can't read._ Remus sighed as he watched Severus try to explain to Harriet that everyone should have a wand, not just kings. He had a feeling of who she was going to want to teach her how to read too. "I want to start by introducing her to Teddy, and maybe for her and Dora to try to patch things up."

Sirius froze when she spotted him. "Hello, Harry."

Slowly, Remus reached for his wand as Harriet walked towards him. Sirius seemed to be too afraid to breathe. Tentatively, she grabbed Sirius's left arm and started to push up his sleeve. Sirius gasped when he realized what she was looking for.

She looked confused. Peter had one, so Remus assumed that the Dark Mark would've had some positive spin to it. Obviously not. Remus pushed up his own sleeve to reveal the same, clean skin.

But she didn't have as much time to process this as Remus had hoped. A familiar giggle from behind them sent shivers up his spine.

"Well if it isn't Baby Harriet," Dolores Umbridge simpered. Sirius paled and turned around. "I hear that you're getting a wand. The newspapers had been filled from cover to cover about you lately."

Harriet shrunk back, which surprised Remus. She was wary of Ollivander, but not this much. Peter couldn't have made up something about Umbridge…

"What do you want?" Sirius snapped, making Harriet jump. Severus glowered but kept his distance.

Another blood curdling giggle. "If rumor is to be believed, Harriet needs psychological attention. Cornelius rightfully agreed that just any social worker would not do with her case."

"I'm her godfather." Sirius took a step in front of Harriet, as if he could shield her. "That is my concern. Certainly not yours."

Umbridge smiled brightly. "But you live with a werewolf. And there was that stay you had in Janus Thickey, for three months. You are not fit—"

"She's of age," Severus boomed from across the room. "Surely the Minister is aware of that."

The smile widened. "But until she is considered competent, she is in custody of the Ministry."

"That was-that was ten years ago," Sirius said quietly, referring to his breakdown. At the seventh anniversary of Harriet's disappearance, the Ministry declared Harriet dead. Gringotts sent him a letter stating that he had inherited the Potter fortune. Remus still had nightmares of finding Sirius convulsing on the bathroom floor.

Severus had had enough and strode over to them as Sirius started shaking at the thought of losing Harry again. "Albus Dumbledore is her magical guardian. Stable enough for you, Dolores?"

The triumph that seemed to be radiating off Umbridge scared Remus. "We'll see."

* * *

"What were they talking about?" Harriet asked as Ollivander handed her a wand. She jumped when the flower by a window died. Ollivander was more preoccupied with finding her a wand than Harriet herself. Severus noted that she liked that about him.

The conversation must've been rather confusing to her. Like an animal, she seemed to sense that something was off about Umbridge. Severus was more interested how she knew to look for the Dark Mark. His own itched at the thought. What would happen when she looked for one on his left arm?

"They left without bringing the rest of my wands," Ollivander muttered to himself as he sifted through the dusty boxes.

"About placing you in a home filled with kitten covered plates," Severus grumbled. Harriet stared at him blankly. "You'll see."

She didn't like that answer and pointed the next wand at his face. Thankfully, nothing happened. "The king told me everything."

"Point that at me again, and see what happens… He was quite the story teller." _Quite the liar._ Severus glanced at the Hospital Wing doors the two idiots followed the toad through. What was going to happen to the brat now?

* * *

"There are rumors that she can't handle being around more than a handful of people." People were asking questions about the Girl Who Lived, obviously. And Cornelius was expected to be able to answer him. This was his way of gaining control of the situation. "A school full of hundreds of students is hardly the place for her, Albus."

"And moving her around is better?" Albus closed his eyes as Sirius stomped into his office with a giddy Dolores and terrified Remus trailing behind him. "Poppy will keep her away from the students."

"And when the students need her?" Dolores asked. "She isn't a babysitter, Professor."

"She stays with me!" Sirius yelled, panicking. At this point, Albus wasn't sure if that was a good idea either.

"That most certainly will not happen," Cornelius thundered. "Where will she be on the full moon? Or when you have to see the mind healer?"

"Seeing her own most likely." Remus paled when Cornelius refused to so much as look at him. If only the boy would demand acceptance instead of taking whatever was handed to him.

Perhaps getting Harriet away from the Forbidden Forest was a good idea, but Albus was afraid that she was being bombarded with too much too fast. Sirius couldn't help himself, and he hoped that being in the same place all the time was making things easier for her.

Cornelius would give her to whoever he wanted to gain a favor with. Lucius, Kingsley… There was a fifty-fifty chance that Albus would either approve or fear for Harriet's life. As of now, he was Harriet's magical guardian. He had to place her before that changed.

"The Weasleys have a license to foster," Albus said. It was hard not to smile when Remus breathed a sigh of relief, and Dolores turned pink with disapproval. Convincing Cornelius is going to be a challenge. "When poor Xenophilius Lovegood lost his wife, Luna stayed with—"

"I am well aware." Cornelius leaned back in his seat. "That was temporary, Dumbledore. The girl needs long term care, with people who can afford it."

"Luckily I have the funds." He couldn't back down on this. Not when the Dark Lord was so close to returning. "Thank you for the concern, Cornelius. Do you have a reading tutor in mind? And a magical tutor? I do not think she will be able to fit in with next year's first years."

"She's staying with me!" Sirius yelled, panicking. Albus wished he would see reason.

"I have to interview some candidates while Black is being tested," Cornelius considered. "The girl has to be tested herself…"

"I have a degree in teaching," Dolores piped in. Excellent. Let them believe they are still in control while Dolores is with the girl in a monitored environment. There was nothing out of the ordinary about a headmaster supervising a tutor.

"She's staying with me!" Sirius repeated, louder than before.

"Sirius." Thank Merlin for Remus Lupin, the one person who could calm Sirius out of a panic. "It's a few days."

"She's staying with me…" Sirius slumped at Remus's attempts to soothe him. Albus hoped he proved to be a fit guardian. Then he would have more control over the girl's life.

* * *

A birch wand with a phoenix feather core. Albus's phoenix. Harriet was quiet upon hearing who had a similar wand. Remus could see she was getting more confused by the second. The Great Snake, as she called Voldemort, had a wand and wasn't a snake at all. He and Sirius didn't have Dark Marks. She was starting to see that she was being lied to her entire life.

Severus had told Albus that she was under the impression that only the king was allowed to use magic. Peter left her truly helpless without him. She couldn't read, write, or use magic. She was afraid of the toilet. Remus was afraid to ask if she knew how to count.

She cradled her wand but wouldn't look at it. As any witch would, she wanted to learn but was afraid of betraying Peter. The smell of rotting milk distracted Remus from his worries about Harry and Sirius.

"And I'll visit you…" Sirius frowned when he saw Remus looking under her bed. He swore when he saw all her meals neatly placed underneath. "Harry… It's alright. The food is good. Well, probably not now."

"I have my berries." Harriet hugged her furs close to her. Everything was new, and everything was so simple that Remus didn't think about it. She wouldn't recognize milk or sandwiches or anything really. Eating was the one thing she could control.

And now she was being told she was going somewhere else, with people she didn't know. Now Remus was worried about her developing an eating disorder.

"You can still have your berries." Remus sat at the foot of her bed. "And I'll give you something else if you eat a meal. Something fun. What do you like to do for fun Harry?"

Every once and a while, Remus thought that Severus was right. She was smart, cunning, and knew how to hide it. Her expression reminded him of James when he was plotting something.

"She likes blocks," Sirius said feebly, making Remus want to smack him. Harriet wasn't a baby anymore!

"I like to paint." Harriet smiled, doing her best to look excited. He would have to see what she painted. Perhaps Severus was right.

But she only painted trees as she nibbled on a sandwich with Sirius. She took tiny bits until she was halfway through the picture. Then, she asked, "Where am I going?"

There was no fear like when Sirius was trying to explain to her before. Remus frowned until she took a bigger bite. She knew he was concerned with her lack of eating.

"To the Weasleys," Sirius said, oblivious. "They're good people. They'll let me see you every day."

"Weasleys," she said slowly as she finger painted a big yellow sun. Was she actually struggling with the word or pretending to? Who was right? Severus or Albus?

Sirius would always see her as a baby. "That's right! Guess what? They have hair like you, only brighter. Have you ever seen anyone with hair like yours? Doesn't that sound cool?"

She might not have a word for it, but she clearly thought Sirius was stupid. He would have to make sure Albus and Arthur set up wards. "Yeah!"

Sirius was so happy that Remus didn't voice his concerns. For a while, he pretended that everything was all right as he listened to Sirius ask her questions about nature and promise to get Harriet a pet. It was easy to act like she wasn't taught to fear them, and Remus didn't think anything of it when she asked to keep her finger paint set in her room.

He would regret it for the rest of his life.

* * *

Daddy was coming back soon. Harriet was sure of it. That was why they were taking her away. All she had to do was leave a message, and Daddy would know where to fetch her. Daddy knew everything about Civilization.

She had never heard of Weasleys, but Daddy certainly would know. Kings had to know everything after all.

Lupin was suspicious, but Harriet knew he had a sickness of the mind. He didn't want to eat James, but he couldn't help such things. He was so confused that he tried to show her the Mark of the Great Snake. Before Daddy defeated him, he and Black pretended to worship the Great Snake to learn how to defeat him. Lupin wouldn't have one.

But why didn't Black? Harriet would have to ask Daddy because no magic could get rid of the Mark of the Great Snake.

With her paints, she drew the cave called a castle and then drew an arrow, telling Daddy that she was going somewhere else. Black told her that the Weasleys had bright red hair, so she drew a family with orange hair. She'd leave it in the cave, so Daddy would know where to rescue her from.

The sun started to rise as she left the Forest. There was a small room nearby, and Harriet flattened herself against it when she saw the king of Civilization.

"Have you seen her, Hagrid?" the old man asked. "Sirius went to check on her. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ward off her cave."

"It ain't right!" Harriet was too afraid to see who was speaking. "The Ministry takin' 'Arry away from Sirius like that! …But no, I didn't see her. Think she's there?"

"I placed a Tracker on her. She's very close. I didn't think I would need to activate it so soon."

Activate… It sounded like active… Active was like moving. Tracking something was like hunting it… So he didn't know that she was at the cave yet. The king of Civilization had just started hunting her.

Although her heart was pounding, Harriet ran over to the king of Civilization and did her best to look afraid. He wasn't like Severus. He thought she had no thoughts in her head.

"I got lost!"

The old man tensed and then sighed with relief. Harriet wanted to shove him and run back to her cave, but she couldn't do that… Then he would find her message to Daddy.

"Sirius is looking for you, Harriet." She couldn't take it anymore and tried to run back to her the Forest. The king of Civilization grabbed her wrist, causing her to close her eyes for fear that he would break it. Hopefully Daddy would pick her up soon.

* * *

"I have underestimated her," Albus finally admitted. Severus could tell that he hated it as they watched Lupin try to show Harriet how to hold a wand. They were at the upper level of the headmaster's office while the demented little family of three was at the bottom. "And now I have no idea what she is up to."

"Trying to get back to Pettigrew, of course." Severus self-consciously scratched at his Dark Mark. When he was younger, after Lily died, he thought about chopping his arm off so he wouldn't have to look at it.

"But how?" Albus looked down at them sadly. "She can't do anything Severus. I now realize she is capable of thinking for herself, but she can't even get through the forest without him and the aid of the pixies."

What happened to finally admitting that she was playing them like fiddles? "She's a liar. Treat her like you would treat one of my students. Do you need me to put the Hat on her head? It'll scream Slytherin before its within ten feet of her."

"She's too much like Lily."

"Meaning she's smarter than Granger."

Harriet pointed her wand at Black, and the mutt started cheering when a small red sparks shot out of it. From the disappointed look on the girl's face, Severus had a feeling that she was trying to stun him. At least Lupin seemed to be picking up on it and tried to show her a water charm instead. She failed miserably.

"Perhaps. In time." Albus started to head down the stairs to praise the girl, still talking to her like she was less than half her age. Severus didn't understand how someone so intelligent could be so bloody stupid. And he wasn't talking about Harriet either.

* * *

All he needed was her blood. That was what the Dark Lord had told him, and Peter forced himself to believe it. It was either listen to the Dark Lord or die, and Peter wasn't about to do that. He was a survivor.

He really should have taught Harriet how to read, but he was hoping that they could live in the Forbidden Forest for the rest of his life. They were close enough to Hogwarts that he could send her back if anything were to happen to him.

Now he needed to get in contact with her. Peter was planning on painting something in the cave for her to find. The Dark Lord was so impatient.

Thank Merlin there was a piece of parchment waiting for him in the cave. Harriet was a clever girl. If she hadn't inherited Lily's knack for herbology and potions, he would've been dead three times over. If only she had inherited James's fighting skills…

No matter. The Dark Lord would protect her, just like he had promised. Sure, she would be a prisoner for the rest of her life, but Peter would finally be free! He wouldn't have to live like a bloody caveman anymore, _and_ Harriet would be alive.

Peter picked up the parchment and smiled to himself. So she wasn't at Hogwarts. The Burrow would be a lot easier to break into. The Dark Lord was going to be so pleased!

 **Too much in one chapter? Maybe… That's one of my flaws, I get excited and cram too much in at once. Let me know if there's anything I should clear up for next chapter!**

 **Thank you RforRiddle, Guest, Sierra, A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess, and Faeris-Ultima for reviewing!**

 **Guest: Sorry. :(**

 **Oh and the reason I chose birch wood for Harriet's wand: "although it has a reputation for weakness, in actuality birch is one of the finest Light wandwoods in existence. It is associated with both driving out evil spirits (and thus will produce a strong Patronus) and with healing magic."**

 **This is from a Weebly website called Pottermores Chosen Few in the Wandlore section!**


	4. Blood from the Enemy, Forcibly Taken

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 4 Blood from the Enemy, Forcibly Taken

Sirius hardly slept. The treatment Harry was receiving reminded him of his days in Azkaban. Hourly checks at night, monitoring what she ate and refused… The worst part was that he was doing it to her, because he didn't want her to escape.

She had been quiet the last few days. Remus thought she was plotting something, but Sirius thought it was because of his lack of Dark Mark. He didn't know how to explain things to her. Right now, he was trying to figure out how not to blow up at the fact that Snivellus was able to get the most out of her.

Somehow, the git knew her better and was able to get Pomfrey off their backs about Harriet's nutrition. "You don't have to eat meat, if you're willing to try different foods."

Harriet narrowed her eyes at the peanut butter sandwich in front of her, as if it were a trick. "It smells."

"But has protein and is not made of a living thing." So? Snape was smug as Harriet started to open up the sandwich and look through it. Sirius couldn't get her to so much as take a sip of pumpkin juice. "You don't like hunting, do you?"

Snape said that because he knew Sirius didn't know that. He clenched his fists when Harriet shook her head. How the hell…? Then Sirius remembered the deity Wormtail made up, and how Harriet was always preaching that they had no regard for life. She saw hunting as a necessary evil and now Snivellus was telling her she didn't have to do it anymore.

"Well you never have to do it again," Sirius butted in. The sooner Snape was out of their lives, the better. "Even if you want to eat meat."

"I don't want to." Harriet took a bite of the sandwich, eating something new for the first time without expecting something in return. Snape smirked. Sirius wanted to punch him.

* * *

"Stay away from Harry," Sirius spat once Harriet was asleep. He made his way to the dungeons as soon as Remus promised to stay outside her room. Tomorrow, she was being moved to the Burrow, and Sirius didn't want her wandering out the Forbidden Forest at night _again._

Snivellus wrote a large "T" on what Sirius was sure was a Gryffindor's paper. He didn't even bother to look up. "Then stop treating her like an infant, and she won't need me."

"She doesn't need you!" Sirius took out his wand when Snape ignored him. Like the git that he was, the slime ball continued to ignore him. "She's not Lily, so don't you dare try anything! She's just a baby!"

Snape stopped mid-comment and let the ink pool on the essay. Finally he had struck a chord. Snivellus turned as white as a sheet. "Get out! Get out _NOW_!"

Of course Sirius didn't budge. He wasn't about to allow Harriet to trade one Death Eater for another.

* * *

Sirius was covered from head to toe in bandages at the Hospital Wing, and Severus wasn't speaking to either of them. Remus sighed as he woke up the following morning. Dora handed him a steaming mug of coffee and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her chin on his shoulder. Thank Merlin for her patience.

"I don't know if I can do this," he whispered. In his opinion, Harriet should be at St. Mungo's right now, but after all these years, he couldn't do that to Sirius. He had a feeling that Harriet wasn't going to take being so far away from the Forbidden Forest well.

Dora kissed his shoulder. "You said yourself that she starting to realize what's happened to her."

"Exactly." Remus closed his eyes. And she was surprisingly calm. Reality was going to hit her sooner rather than later. "She thinks I eat people, Dora."

"And she thought Sirius had the Dark Mark." Dora glanced over her shoulder when Teddy started to cry in the room across from them. "Imagine how scary this is for her, Remus. Give her time."

Remus wanted nothing more than to stay home with Teddy and Dora all day. Today was going to be awful.

* * *

He tried to explain apparating to Harriet, but he could tell she didn't believe him. Her hazel eyes widened was she opened them to see that she was nowhere near Hogwarts, nowhere near the Forbidden Forest.

"Hello deary." Molly ran over to them, eager to mother the new arrival. Harriet took a step back, staring at the house behind her in fear. "My name is Mrs. Weasley."

"Harry!" Remus grabbed her arms when she tried to run. Albus gave him special gloves to prevent her from turning into a mouse. "Harry, it's only temporary."

"NO!" She kicked and scratched and started crying hysterically when she realized she wasn't turning into a mouse and that he wasn't going to let her go. "LET ME GO!"

Remus tried to pull her into a hug, and she only pulled herself backwards. It was hard not to start crying himself when she started screaming for Peter. He almost did when she elbowed him in the neck.

Again, she was too fast and reached the edge of the Burrow's property long before Remus could. He swore when the wards bounced her back to his feet. Still crying, she tried to crawl away. Feeling like a monster, Remus picked her up by her shoulders to make her stand. She rewarded him with a shove.

"I WANT TO GO HOME!"

"I know," he said hoarsely. And she wasn't going to be allowed back for a long time. "Do you want to come inside? You can eat beans instead of meat too. Mrs. Weasley made you a lot of different foods."

"DADDY!" She had to understand how far away she was, that Peter couldn't hear her. Harriet continued to struggle in his grasp.

Molly had finally caught up to them. She had a sad, devastated looked about her, reminding him of when Lily and James died. "You're going to have to sedate her, Remus."

Harriet let out a high pitched scream that made him cover his ears. By the time he could recover, she was halfway to Arthur's shed. Thank Merlin Molly didn't have it in her to stun the poor girl.

"Harry!" Once he reached her, she slammed the shed door in his face. He tried the knob, only to find that she was leaning against it. "Harry, I know this is frightening, and I know what you think I did… But you're going to have to trust me."

"The trees are different here!" she sobbed.

So she realized the woods by the Burrow weren't part of the Forbidden Forest. Everything she knew was out of reach. A bucket by the windowsill rattled, but with a sob-like gasp from Harriet, it stopped.

"Don't worry about that, Harry." Magic was the one thing about their world he knew she definitely wanted to learn more about. Peter never wanted to raise her to be stronger than him. "It's called accidental magic, and everyone experiences it. Especially before they learn how to use it."

"You're not allowed," she bellowed from the other side of the door. "Only the king can use magic! Civilization uses it for wicked things! Only the king can handle such responsibility!"

"Was it wicked when Poppy made your tooth stop hurting yesterday?" Remus asked loudly, trying to make sure he could be heard through the door and her crying. "She used magic, Harry. And when you make potions, that's magic too."

"NO, IT ISN'T!"

"Okay! Okay…" How the hell was he going to get her to come out? He didn't want to use a sleeping spell and have her wake up in Ginny's bedroom, another foreign place. "I…"

"Magic made you eat James." Harriet peeked at him through the shed door window. "And killed Mummy."

"And made Sirius's Dark Mark go away?" Remus prompted, even though he was starting to feel a little sick.

"Magic can't. Daddy tried." Her grip on the door tightened. "It's a trick."

"How?" Now was not the time, but Remus didn't know what else to ask. Yes, they were supposed give her the truth in pieces, but that didn't mean it would hurt any less. "Sirius never had a Dark Mark, Harriet. You know that."

Silence. It would probably take years for her to believe them. Like she did with Severus in the cave, she changed the subject. "I can use magic?"

And she knew alternative subjects that they wanted to encourage. "Y-yes," Remus said cautiously. "You're allowed to use magic. Anyone can."

With a creak, the doorknob slowly started to open. Remus thought she was going to come out and avoid talking about Sirius by asking to learn about magic. A first year incantation was bound to keep her busy for hours.

The gust nearly took the wind out of him. Before he could realize what was happening, Remus found himself flying across the Weasley property. With a shriek, Molly bustled over to him as he landed hard on the ground. Remus opened his eyes to see a tornado of leaves surrounding the shed. There was no way he'd be able to fight his way through it.

* * *

"Maybe it was just the wind," Sirius said weakly. His bones were freshly mended, oozing warts covered in salve, and the horns that were threatening to rip through his forehead were almost gone. Severus simply had a bandage over his nose.

"What are you a Muggle?" Severus snapped. "She's spoken of living near wolves and the Acromantula. Clearly she had to find a way to keep them away."

Remus sighed. Of course Albus would make Severus provide Poppy with the potions to heal Sirius. After twenty seven years, there was no reason to believe they would ever get along, but for some strange reason, the old man still had hope. "Molly is there. And she sent a Patronus stating it hasn't gone away. I didn't think she knew any magic."

"It's good, isn't it?" Sirius wouldn't take his hateful eyes off Severus. "It means she wasn't always listening to Wormtail."  
"It means we don't know how to deal with her." Severus thought Harriet was some sort of evil genius. Remus simply saw a little girl who was lost and confused and was just now starting to realize she was lost and confused. "She has too many tricks up her sleeves. Commit her."

"I am not putting the baby in the hospital!" Sirius tried to sit up, but only winced in pain.

"Don't worry," Severus drawled. "I'm sure you'll be given a room right next to her."

"I can't get through," Remus said loudly. What should he do? Harriet fancied Severus, and he certainly didn't want to encourage it. Perhaps she should be introduced to people her age but for now… "I- _We_ need your help, Severus.

Thank Merlin Sirius was still too injured to move.

* * *

Harriet sat curled in a ball in the corner of the strange room. She really messed up this time. They were certainly going to kill her now. She was hungry, thirsty, and had to relieve herself.

Something wasn't right. It was making her nervous, and everyone kept bringing it up. Kings weren't perfect but…

They were wrong. And evil. That was why they brought her to this strange place, away from the Forest. Harriet didn't think it was possible. Civilization was on the edges of the Forest, but not this part of Civilization. Harriet didn't know there was part of the world that the Forest didn't touch. If there was another Forest Kingdom, perhaps the royal family would help her. She was a princess after all.

Although crying was for babies, Harriet found herself sniffling as it started to get dark. Even though she knew this was going to happen, she panicked at being taken somewhere new. She was just like everyone thought she was. She had no thoughts in her head.

Just as two salty tears started sliding down her cheeks, a beautiful glowing doe appeared out of nowhere and cautiously walked to her feet. Harriet held her breath as it sniffed her shoes. Mummy.

With a shaking hand, she reached out to touch it, but the doe only turned away and started heading for the door. Harriet started crawling after it, too excited to stand like a human until she had to open the door, only to see the doe run through her tornado.

It was meant to scare away the spiders. Daddy was so mad when he saw her do it, even though she used it to save him from being eaten. Magic corrupted people, and only the king could handle such responsibility. Harriet didn't think that was fair.

When Harriet let the tornado die down, the doe was running towards a figure in the distance. Was it Mummy? Maybe Daddy made another mistake, and she was alive too.

Mummy had hair like hers, but bright green eyes, brighter than grass. She was the most beautiful woman in the world, not only for her looks, but because she was kind. Kind, smart, fierce, and beautiful. Daddy's eyes glazed over when he spoke of her.

Harriet grinned as she ran, not caring that she was running towards the strange place Lupin tried make her go to. She was going to meet Mummy. Surely she knew what was going on.

But it was only Severus. With a dramatic whoosh of his wand, the doe was gone. They stared at each other for a long time.

"Disappointed?" He had a look in his black eyes, like he wanted to smile but was too miserable for it.

Harriet frowned. He had Mummy in his wand. The God of Life let her come down from the heavens, for a brief moment, at Severus's command. The God of Life blessed him. "No."

Severus raised an eyebrow, not knowing that this was a sign. Mummy wanted him to help her. And so did the God of Life. "It is a Patronus. Not Lily. A Patronus—"

"Did you know her?" Harriet couldn't take her eyes off his wand, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw his face harden. He wouldn't look at her either. "Everyone was in love with her, even the Great Snake. So you don't—"

"GET IN THE HOUSE!" Severus roared.

Harriet flinched but followed him. Mummy trusted him, so she did as well.

* * *

Severus knew he created yet another delusion for Harriet, but he told himself he didn't care. He had to get her out of the shed, and that was the easiest way to do it. Lupin was sitting in the Burrow's living room with the Weasleys.

Yelling didn't bother her. Severus had hoped it would. It was only a matter of time before Black told her about his past with Lily. The idiot had no self-control. The only good thing that would come out of it would be that she would stop being so enamored with him out of disgust.

"Harry!" Lupin spilled tea all over himself at the sight of her, thinking it would take him hours to get her out.

Severus kept his face blank when suddenly, Harriet pretended to be afraid and guilty instead of awed. Lupin didn't pick up on it, and he wondered if Pettigrew ever did. How much magic did she know?

"I'm sorry." She didn't cry. Poppy said she looked angry with herself whenever she started to cry. Severus wondered how long it would take her to realize that tears were a weapon too. "I know you have a sickness of the mind and that you did not mean to eat James."

Lupin thinned his lips and his grip tightened on his cane, not knowing that she was bringing up his insecurities so he wouldn't push her and force her to face her own. "It's alright. A-a lot of people are afraid of me."

"Don't encourage it, Remus," Mrs. Weasley whispered. She plastered a fake smile on her face and said in a baby voice, "I have dinner waiting for you, Harry!"

She looked to him for approval. Wonderful. With a nod and an eye roll, he headed for the fireplace, only stopping when she grabbed his hand.

Her hand was rough, unlike Lily's. Lily's touch was soft, comforting, and as they got older, somewhat distant. Hers were firm, almost demanding. As sad as it was, the act made him realize that he had needed Lily, but she didn't need him. Unlike Harriet.

When he turned to face her, she looked annoyed, although Severus wasn't sure why. He was the only person who understood her, meaning she couldn't lie and get away with it.

"What?" he snapped. "I do have other things to do with my life besides rescuing you from whatever trouble you place yourself in."

She let go, thankfully, and Severus turned around before he could see her reaction. He wasn't feeling guilty. The nagging feeling in his chest was simply a reaction to inhaling the monstrosity Longbottom brewed this morning. He didn't care about Harriet at all.

* * *

"Stop expecting me to clean up the messes that Black and Lupin make!" Severus yelled. He flooed straight to Albus's office, suddenly wanting to never see Harriet again. "She should be committed, and Black not doing so is selfish."

One day, he would rip out those damned twinkling eyes. Albus had his usual all knowing sense of superiority. "You are the only one she trusts, Severus, and the method you used to rescue her only enforced that trust. How did you know she would see your Patronus as Lily?"

Severus almost left. For some reason, he had been going against his instincts lately. However he hadn't heard Lily's name so much in years, and Harriet wondering if he loved her… To her, being in love with Lily was as easy as waking up every day.

"Pettigrew isn't creative," he said as flatly as he could. "He often told her a version of the truth that made him the hero. There was no reason for him to change Lily's animagus form. He was a king with a beautiful wife, the power to wield magic, and the defeater of the "Great Snake." As long as he was what he wanted to be and Harriet was as lost as he wanted her to be, he had no reason to make the effort to change a detail."

Albus considered this. In many ways, Harriet knew generally what happened in the past. An evil creature that was less than human murdered her mother. A stupid family friend was at fault. Everyone was in love with Lily… That was what made explaining what really happened so easy and difficult. She already knew what happened while having no idea what happened at the same time.

"I'm thinking of showing her a memory." He stroked his beard, already knowing that Harriet would say it was an illusion. "Or a picture. There has to be something she will believe."

"She will believe Pettigrew," Severus said simply. They had to find him… so he could squeeze his hands around the rat's fat neck.

* * *

"These are called crayons." Mrs. Weasley talked to her like she was a baby. Harriet let her. It was easier to learn things when people thought she was a baby. Like that Severus and Black hated each other and got in a fight. Or that Lupin was afraid of her saying mean things about his sickness of the mind. People whispered a lot around her, as if she would be more confused about complicated subjects if she could barely hear them.

Harriet picked up one of the crayons, a green one, like Mummy's eyes. Should she draw something a baby would draw? "What's an Umbridge?"

Mrs. Weasley laughed but quickly stopped herself. Harriet didn't know why. There was nothing wrong with laughing if something was funny. "Umbridge is a woman. You will be meeting her in a few days. In fact… I think you already have."

 _She will see Umbridge on Friday._ Harriet had overheard it when Mrs. Weasley was teaching her how to make bread. Her husband was worried about it and whispered it to her when he returned yesterday evening. Everyone here had strange names. What was a Friday?

"She was dressed in all pink. Like… Do you know colors, Harry?" Mrs. Weasley went on gently. Of course she knew colors! Flowers were pink! So she was referring to the toad woman… Toads could make you sick. "Now… Oh dear… You mustn't be afraid of her, Harry…"

The woman faltered. So she must certainly be afraid of her. Harriet frowned and started drawing a spear. Would she be able to make one in time?

* * *

He was able to steal another wand from an elderly wizard. Peter smothered him with his pillow and vaguely wondered when his family would be bothered to find him. This wand was good, not too different than his own.

When Harriet was still a child, they used to play bird tag. He needed her to be fast to survive, so he would chase her and let out a bird cry to tell her he was catching up. It was one of her favorite games. If he amplified the noise enough to wake her up, the Weasleys would think nothing of it and turn over to go back to sleep. Harriet would surely wake up and run out of bed.

He apparated up a tree that neared the Burrow property and put a wand to his throat. There was no reason to tear down the wards yet. By the time the Weasleys woke up, it would be too late.

Arthur yawned when he heard the bird and turned closer to Molly, still half asleep. Some poor child's pet must have escaped. He'd ask Molly to keep a look out in the morning so it could be returned.

"What was that?" she muttered as she pulled him into a sleepy hug.

"Nothing…"

He was still dozing when the alarm went off, signaling that the wards had fallen.

* * *

Harriet had never been so excited in her life as she ran out of the house. Daddy let out the bird cry again, softer this time, as she ran towards the direction it was coming from. She laughed as she forced her feet to run faster. Finally she would get to go home! Life would be back to normal.

"Daddy!" She could barely contain her glee as she saw him climbing down the tree. Her feet were cut up from the twigs on the ground, but she didn't care.

"Princess!" He pulled her into a hug, but Harriet could tell something was off about him. Once he let go, he kept glancing over her shoulder. "We only have a few moments."

"But—"

"Harriet!" She bit her lip at his firm tone, causing him to soften as usual. "First…" Again, he glanced past her. Why wasn't he taking her home?! "You would agree that the Great Snake is your enemy right?"

"Yes!" What a silly question… The Great Snake killed Mummy! Corrupted countless people into joining Civilization! Did Daddy already think they had corrupted her too? "I will never follow the Great Snake! Ever!"

He gripped her hands, squeezing her fingers so hard it hurt. "I am going to summon the God of Life to aid us. You must never trust Civilization, Harry. No matter what."

Before Harriet could ask, Daddy grabbed her arm and pushed up her sleeve. She felt the searing pain before she saw the knife. He cut her arm!

It was too fast to process. Behind her, she heard someone yell, and Daddy grabbed her by her hurt arm and pulled her flat against him. Harriet saw Dumbledore, Mr. Weasley, Lupin, and Severus pointing their wands at them.

"Peter…" Lupin tried.

"Release her!" Mr. Weasley yelled. Severus simply stared, and Harriet felt like he was looking into her soul. She squeezed her eyes shut until she felt a wand at her throat. Daddy's wand.

"Back away!" he screamed. Harriet felt her mind go blank, like she was watching what was going on but was not a part of it. "Don't think I won't do it!"

Do what? Harriet tried to push herself forward, but he put his other arm over her chest so she couldn't move. The blood was dripping down her arm.

No one moved. Suddenly, Harriet felt like everyone thought she was. What was the word Severus had used? Stupid.

"Let me go," Harriet whispered. Daddy tensed.

He kneed her in the back so hard that she fell over and screamed. By the time anyone realized what happened, he was gone.

 **Thank you for reviewing RforRiddle, A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess, and Slytherin's Strumpet!**

 **Voldemort is not going to be happy with Peter! ;)**


	5. A Life of Lies

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 5 A Life of Lies

The sight of Harriet crying was truly pathetic. Pettigrew seemed to instill in her that it was some sort of sin. Perhaps he didn't want to deal with a crying, sniveling child, which Severus understood. As a result, Harriet looked like she was trying to hold in vomit instead of sobs as she realized that her "father" had just used her as a human shield, that everyone around her was right. Her delusions weren't reality anymore.

"Harry, you're bleeding," Lupin said weakly.

"Stay away from me!" she shrieked, face red with the effort to hold in her cries. Her thumb was at her wound, and Severus raised his eyebrows when she pressed against it. More blood gushed out.

"So now you know," Severus said coldly, "that you've let an evil man escape twice."

Her swollen eyes opened and settled on him. What was she going to do now? Their words weren't enough to undo what she had been told her entire life, but what about Pettigrew's actions? "He is going to summon the God of Life."

Blood trickled down her arm. Severus watched as she pressed on the wound again, and then moved her thumb down an inch. Part of the cut was healed, leaving a nasty scar. She pressed again.

"That is very good magic." Nymphadora did her best to sound soothing and not like the nervous wreck Severus knew she was. "But I can—"

"IT'S NOT MAGIC!"

Severus narrowed his eyes as Lupin and his wife along with the Weasleys tried to calm the brat. Summon the God of Life… "He was after her blood."

Only Albus was listening. His face was grim, meaning he knew more details to Severus's theory than he himself did. "Exactly."

* * *

"A-B-C-D-E-F-G…"

Harriet couldn't think. She couldn't eat or sleep or do anything really. And now she was stuck with the pink toad woman, listening to her sing a ridiculous song. Maybe this was some sort of strange punishment. She preferred Daddy's, which was gathering firewood or extra hunting.

Daddy. Harriet tried to tell herself that he was scared or even bewitched, but… she knew better. His stories weren't making sense, and there were _good_ people in Civilization, people like Severus. Daddy said they were all monsters.

Mummy wouldn't come out of Severus's wand if he was a monster. And Mummy was good. That was one thing Harriet was sure about.

"Do you want to sing along with me?" the toad woman asked with false kindness. Harriet sensed a darkness about her that she had never felt before. It made her want to shiver.

She had to do her best to be brave. "No."

Evil oozed from the woman's pores as she smiled. "It has come to my attention that you cannot read, write, or use a wand, Harriet. Would you like to learn?"

"No." She wasn't entirely sure what reading and writing meant. It was something to do with the symbols called letters, _but_ she wasn't about to learn from this creature. Severus could teach her how to use a wand.

The toad raised her eyebrows. "And why is that? Do you have a plan to live in this world without these skills? They're very important in even the simplest of matters."

Harriet had no idea what she was talking about. More often than not, she had no idea what anyone was talking about. The feeling was frustrating, overwhelming, and sometimes just plain sad. She rubbed her temples. Ever since this morning, she had the worst headache, stemming from the middle of her forehead. The pain was making it hard to focus.

"Harriet?" the toad asked, trying to sound concerned. "Do you have a headache?"

Black spots danced in her vision. Harriet saw more than felt herself falling off of Mrs. Weasley's squishy thing called a couch. Then, she was in another world.

* * *

"I am being summoned." Severus knew this would happen ever since he saw the clean slice down Harriet's arm. This was her fault. Everything was her fault. No one who wasn't in Azkaban would try to resurrect the Dark Lord but Pettigrew. Pettigrew would have already been Kissed if it wasn't for her.

"Wait," Albus said. The cursed skin on his arm felt like it was going to melt off at any moment. Given that he was already late, Severus knew that the pain wasn't going to go away any time soon. "Are you sure you want to go?"

What kind of a question was that? He didn't become a spy because the Dark Lord made a great soufflé. In fact, the old man had never asked Severus such a question, even when he first started spying.

"Are you questioning my loyalty?" Severus asked coldly, even though he knew that wasn't what this was about.

"You are the only one she trusts," Albus said slowly. "Perhaps it would be better—"

"If the Prophecy is to be believed," Severus said through clenched teeth, "the only one who can defeat the Dark Lord can't even spell her name. We need every advantage when can acquire."

"She could defeat him with your aid." He felt the disappointment from Albus poking him in the back as he left to sulk. And who was responsible for making him leave the dark security of the dungeons? Harriet Bloody Potter.

* * *

She was cold. Unnaturally so. Harriet couldn't move or scream. She could barely see in this dark forest. Men started appearing out of nowhere, surrounding themselves around a man who looked like a snake, a great snake.

"Fifteen years." His voice was cold, raspy. It suited the environment very well, and his voice, not the frigid foggy air, caused the cowering circle of men to shiver. "For over fifteen years, I have been waiting."

"Until I-I-I came t-t-to your-your aid, my lord," Daddy whimpered. Out of all the men, he was cowering and shivering the most. On his knees, he reached out to touch the Great Snake's robes.

 _"Crucio!"_ The monster man had a wand too. He pointed it at Daddy's face, and even though the incantation was barely above a whisper, Daddy was screaming like a rabbit caught in a giant spider's web. Harriet tried to cover her ears but couldn't move. She couldn't scream either, she discovered, when a giant snake slithered past her feet and started circling Daddy.

"M-my lord," Daddy pleaded as the snake wrapped itself around his feet. A king wouldn't do such begging.

"You had no intention of returning to me," the Great Snake hissed. "And you failed to bring me the girl. It would seem that you loyalty is to her first, Wormtail."

"No, no!" Daddy cried. He cupped his hands together and started crying. Crying was for babies. "I didn't—I was at a loss, my lord!"

The Great Snake put his wand to Daddy's throat, and he told the snake to break Daddy's ankles. With a sickening snap, he toppled over. Harriet tried to close her eyes but couldn't. "You have returned me to my true form, Wormtail," the Great Snake said as Daddy started throwing up from the pain. "Your reward is your life. It is a privilege that I can take away."

As Daddy sniveled and sobbed and begged and eventually became unconscious, the Great Snake's eyes met Harriet's, causing him to smile cruelly. "Come and get him."

* * *

"She's been cursed!" Black shrieked as they watched Harriet twitch on the floor. If Severus didn't know any better, he would assume that she was having a seizure from the lack of nutrition that went along with being raised by a marshmallow of a man in the woods. People having seizures didn't try to cover their ears.

"And you've only had her evaluated by a mediwitch, not a healer?" Umbridge squealed with delight and scribbled a note down on her parchment pad. Severus wondered how long Albus was going to let this go on. Black would flee the country with the girl before letting Umbridge sink her teeth into her.

Harriet stopped her twitching, but her eyes were still rolled in the back of her head. White eyes looked directly at him and smiled in a way he knew Harriet wasn't capable of. Only one man was.

Finally, Harriet turned back to Harriet. Doe eyes frantically searched the living room until they rested on him.

Like a viper, the girl sprung from her place on the floor and threw her arms around him. The attack was something he was not used to, causing Severus to become a statue of sorts. She clawed at him as Black tried to rip her off.

"We have to save him," she whispered. Disgust made him push her away.

"What did you see?" he demanded. She glanced at Umbridge, who was practically drooling at the thought of hearing about her "hallucinations."

Lupin, the brains of the Marauder operation as always, whispered in Black's ear. For once, Black took his advice. Harriet's return seemed to have finally forced him to grow up. "If you will excuse me, Dolores. We have to take Harriet to the hospital."

* * *

"She only trusts you." Albus smiled to himself as they watched Harriet be poked and prodded. Severus squeezed his arm, doing his best to ignore the pain. "And you still think you're best suited as a spy?"

"Shouldn't you be coaching Black on how to handle the feral creature?" Severus asked dryly. "And how long am I to ignore this?"

"Until Tom's meeting is concluded." Albus frowned at the observation window when Harriet swatted at a healer who tried to run a test by putting his wand over her head. "Or perhaps longer. Dolores wants you to help oversee Harriet's education. I find that interesting."

"She doesn't have the Mark." Her husband did. Severus inwardly gagged at the memory of the whale of a man. The Dark Lord disliked him almost as much as Severus did, leading him to feed him to Greyback. "I doubt—"

"She never believed that Tom was involved in her husband's death." Behind the window, Harriet folded her arms over her chest and refused to speak or move after Lupin attempted to comfort or explain something to her. "Sirius refused her proposal, of course."

Ah yes. Severus was wondering when Albus would take advantage of his hatred of Black. He wasn't that stupid. In fact, Severus was almost disappointed. "No. My duty is not that of a preschool teacher. I'll let you know if I see her at meetings. The mask can't hide her demented giggling."

Albus smiled. "They will be returning to Hogwarts. Cornelius thinks it best, given that our wards are stronger. There was an anonymous leak to the paper, stating what happened earlier this week. You will be seeing Harriet whether you like it or not, Severus."

Knowing who the "anonymous" leak was, Severus rolled his eyes and walked away.

* * *

"B, a little one." Harriet sighed. She never really understood boredom until now. There was so much to do if they were going to save Daddy from the Great Snake, and she was stuck looking at pictures with Lupin and Black.

Lupin smiled, but there was a sadness in his eyes that annoyed Harriet. Who cared about symbols? "Sorry, Harry. It's a lowercase d. Do you know something that begins with a d? Sirius can turn into one."

"A wolf?" That couldn't be right… Harriet huffed and got out of her seat again, something which annoyed Lupin to no end. They were in a big dusty room called a library. The sun was shining through the holes in the walls called windows, making her desperately want to go outside and run through the Forest.

"No. A dog. Sit down please, Harry." Lupin raised his eyebrows. "Harry."

Harriet glared at him and took a few steps closer to him but didn't sit down. "I need to find Severus."

"No you don't." Black held up another picture. "What about this one?"

She knew this one… She had eaten what was on the picture. "Apple."

"What about the letter?" Lupin said with forced patience. "Think about the sound."

"It's the first day, Remus! It's too much—"

"It's been ten minutes, Sirius! Let her try!"

They had shown her four symbols today. A, B, C, and D. Harriet knew she could get it if she focused, but honestly, she didn't want to. "C."

Lupin stared her down, knowing she was guessing. "We aren't going outside until you put some effort into this. Aaaaple."

"Professor Lupin!" A familiar girl with bushy hair appeared out of nowhere. Like most people, she lowered her voice, thinking Harriet wouldn't understand. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" Harriet said, loudly and rudely, making the girl jump. Black snickered, making her feel like she did something wrong.

The girl squealed and spun to face her. "I-I… Are you Harriet?"

"No," she said meanly.

"Yes," Lupin said tiredly. "I'm sorry, Hermione. We're having a bit of a rough morning."

"It begins with a a," Harriet snapped as a sadness that she couldn't describe appeared on Hermione's face. Everyone looked at her like that. Everyone but Severus.

"An a," Lupin corrected. "But that was good," he added when Black slapped him on the shoulder. "Very good. We can take a break and look at these after lunch, Harry."

"I can help!" the girl offered eagerly, making Harriet's face grow hot. "I only have Professor Snape after lunch."

Snape was what Black called Severus, making Harriet perk up and forget her meanness. "Can I come?" Black thumped his head on the table. "Severus and I—"

"Harriet," Lupin said gently. He had a very strong patience that Harriet planned to obliterate. "Severus teaches something far more complicated than…" He gestured to their pictures. "And there will be more students than Hermione. You'll find yourself overwhelmed."

"Let's go outside!" Black said cheerfully, practically falling out of his seat. "Professor Sprout wants to meet you, Harry!"

Harriet sighed, but listened. Anything to get away from the symbols. She'd find Severus eventually.

* * *

"We only have one week before the test and…" Hermione's words died in her throat when she realized a shaking Harriet Potter was following her. Professor Lupin and Sirius were nowhere in sight.

"Yeah, yeah." Ronald grumbled until he turned to see what she was staring at. "Blimey…"

Harriet wouldn't look at Ron. Or Hermione for the matter. She was absolutely terrified by all the students, just like Mrs. Weasley had yelled during her tirade the other day when Ginny complained about having to check her bed for nits when she got home. "C-can I come with you?"

Snape. Hermione tried to keep a straight face and not look as horrified as Ron was. "Where are Professor Lupin and Sirius?"

"Asleep." She stared at the ceiling to hide her guilt. "With the Sprout woman."

"Like you tried to put Neville to sleep? Ow!" Like the baby that he was, Ron rubbed the arm that Hermione elbowed. "It's a legitimate question, 'Mione!"

"Harriet," Hermione said slowly. "I see Asphodel pedals in your hair… If you tell me what you did, I'll take you to Professor Snape."

It was like dealing with a toddler who drew on the walls and thought it was funny. Harriet grinned. "She invited me over for tea after lunch."

"SHE POISONED—" Ron huffed when Hermione covered his mouth. Asphodel would have made them fall asleep…

"She said I could help make it." Okay, Harriet was a lot smarter than an unruly toddler. The smugness about her almost made Hermione laugh.

"Alright…" This was going to be interesting. "I'll take you to Professor Snape…"

* * *

There was an uneasy silence in his classroom, but Severus was used to it and kept writing the day's notes on the chalkboard. _Let them squirm,_ he thought as he kept his back to him. As usual, Mr. Malfoy decided to enlighten him to the situation.

"Do you know where you are?" The insufferable boy was met with a terrified silence that nearly made Severus turn around. Perhaps Longbottom had gotten himself hexed into a stupor again. "So the rumors are true. You _are_ retarded."

Severus whipped around as the laughter erupted from his House. Harriet was sitting next to Granger, looking pitifully confused and terrified. She didn't understand Draco's joke either and gave him an uncomfortable smile, only making him laugh harder.

"Detention, Mr. Malfoy," Severus boomed before he could stop himself. The laughter immediately stopped as he strode across the room and dragged Harriet out of her seat. When his black eyes settled on Draco, the boy shrunk back in fear.

"What are you doing?" Severus hissed as soon as they were out of the classroom. "Where are Lupin and Black?"

"They're asleep, Professor! I—"

"SHUT UP, GRANGER!" Severus never looked away from Harriet. "If you are going to be at this school, Harriet, you will do as you're told. Now get out of my sight!"

Severus turned away, not seeing the angry look on her face. She was just as arrogant as her father, thinking she could go anywhere she pleased, disrupting classes. He stopped in his tracks when he heard her take a deep breath and start to follow him back into the classroom. The fact that it was Lily's stubbornness made him decide to ignore her.

She sat right back down, flinching whenever a student turned to look at her. Besides screaming at his class to pay attention, Severus otherwise ignored her. She wanted his attention? Fine. He most certainly wasn't going to give it to her.

Five minutes into his lecture, she couldn't handle sitting still and started to walk around. None of his students dared to follow her with their eyes.

"Can I have this?" she interrupted, holding up a quill from his desk. Severus ignored her and kept lecturing, causing her to shrug and put it in her pocket.

When it was time for the practical part of the lesson, Severus continued to ignore her as she circled the class, occasionally taking quills or ink bottles from one of the terrified Gryffindors. The Slytherins glared at her, making them not as easy targets. Her pockets were bulging within twenty minutes.

"Oh thank God!" Lupin nearly collapsed with relief at the sight of Harriet and sent Black a quick Patronus, telling him to stop searching the Forest.

"She has the attention span of a flea," Severus growled, making several Slytherins laugh. Draco didn't, still not forgiving him for his detention. He'd have to give the boy a rare book to read for it and make up an excuse about having to keep up appearances as a spy for the Dark Lord.

Lupin wasn't Black, so an argument didn't follow. "I've noticed." Then, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "She's been in a mood today. She… wasn't afraid of the students? She didn't…?"

He was referring the incident the other week where she had wet herself. Harriet was still very much afraid, but unfortunately, she wanted something, causing her to push that fear down. And that something was him.

"No," Severus said through clenched teeth. "Keep her contained, Lupin. You and Black are constantly being outsmarted by someone who is fascinated by quills. Stop treating her like an infant!"

"You're doing it wrong," Harriet told Longbottom hotly. A moment later, his cauldron started foaming over. "Weren't you listening?"

"Harry!" Lupin yelled. "Did I say that to you this morning?"

Harriet folded her arms over her chest and glowered. So that's what it was. She couldn't figure out the alphabet in one go and was frustrated. And there was still the fact that she was hopeless confused about everything could not have made her very happy. Severus almost laughed.

Instead, he went for cruelty. He knew why she appeared. She wanted him to help her rescue Pettigrew. "Harriet, this class is far beyond your scope." Draco snorted. "Your caretaker is here. Get out."

His students started laughing her, making Lupin close his eyes. Harriet finally picked up on it and was so hurt that Severus looked away.

"His flame was too high, and he was putting the whole beetle head his potion, not just the horns." Harriet balled her fists and stomped out. Severus told himself he didn't care.

"So, Mr. Longbottom, how is it that someone who can't read the directions on the board knows what you did wrong while you are as clueless as usual?" Severus asked loudly. The laugher became louder, but he still heard her taking her anger out on Lupin.

"I AM NOT LOOKING AT THOSE SYMBOLS EVER AGAIN!"

His heart sunk. He must have eaten something bad…

* * *

Harriet knew what Severus was doing. He didn't want to rescue Daddy with her. Still, his words made her eyes sting. Crying was for babies, but she _did_ have thoughts in her head. She was under the impression that Severus knew that. He was one of the few who did.

"Let's try something else," Lupin said quietly, not telling Black about Severus. He pointed his wand at her cloak, causing a tiny feather spear and a tiny bowl to fly out. "Thank you, Harry. How about we start with the letters of your name? That has a bit more meaning, doesn't it? _And_ , we've already learned one."

H-A-R-R-I-E-T. Harriet recognized the A. She glared at him, but the fool only smiled. He was one of the most patient people Harriet knew, and right now, she hated him for it. "Is your sickness of the mind cured?"

He paled, and the joy Harriet took from it made her feel evil, like the Great Snake. "N-no. I'm afraid not. But I take a potion for it, so I don't hurt anyone."

Daddy said Lupin's sickness of the mind was common. If she entered Civilization, half the inhabitants would try to strip the flesh from her bones and devour it before her eyes. But no one did that today. Was it because they were afraid of Severus? Lupin never denied being sick, so it had to be true.

"Harry…" Black sighed. "He's a werewolf. It's not a mental illness. It's a magical illness. And he only becomes a werewolf under the full moon. He won't hurt you now, or ever for that matter."

"Excuse me." Lupin slowly rose from his seat and started to walk away. He hung his head so she wouldn't see his face, making Harriet feel awful.

He was almost gone, making Harriet fidget and Black torn between lecturing her and going after Lupin. She said and did whatever she wanted to him, and he always took it. How was learning that he was a werewolf any different? "Does that say Harry or Harriet?"

Lupin froze, making Harriet squeeze her eyes shut. She didn't mean it. She just wanted to go home.

But Lupin was as warm as ever. "Harriet. H-a-r-r-i-e-t. Harry is H-a-r-r-y. Would you like me to show you a Y?"

No. Harriet opened her eyes, trying her best not to look guilty. Lupin saw right through her, and so did Black. He mumbled something that almost sounded like "James." She tried to sound like she didn't care. "I guess."

* * *

Black was easier. Black could be hexed into oblivion. Black could be goaded into saying something offensive so the entire situation would become his fault. Lupin, on the other hand, was too weak and pathetic to be blamed for anything.

"What a saw today..." He paused to make sure Severus was listening instead of focusing on the cleaning charms he was casting about his classroom. "… reminded me of James."

"I'm sure Black will be proud," Severus muttered, not wanting to hear about how brave Harriet was to be in a room with twenty people she didn't know.

"I wasn't talking about Harry." Lupin waited until Severus turned around and only started speaking when his hands headed for his wand. "You humiliated her."

"She was unaware," Severus snapped as he started storming towards his private stores. "Mr. Malfoy called her a rather foul name, and she smiled like the oblivious little—"

"She knows a lot more than she lets on," Lupin said quietly. "You've been preaching that this entire time."

"Keep her away from me," Severus growled, enunciating every word. "She schemes and takes advantage and harms everyone she can to get what she wants. And what she wants is Pettigrew. She is not the little princess she leads you to believe she is."

"And she is not the criminal mastermind you believe she is!" Lupin yelled. "She doesn't understand a classroom setting or that people have jobs or-or anything really. All she understands is that she feels safe around you. Not stupid or lost or confused. Safe!" His voice lowered with his next admittance. "As much as I… despise you, I don't want to take that away from her."

"That is not your choice," Severus snarled. "Next time I see her, I am showing her my Mark. Think about that the next time you start falling for one of her little plans."

"Fudge is making her spend the day with Umbridge tomorrow," Lupin tried. Severus wanted nothing more than to strangle him. "If you would just tutor her once and a while, we wouldn't have to deal with her, and you could use Legilimency on Umbridge when you report Harriet's progress!"

"She is not my problem." As a spy, that would be better, especially since Albus hadn't wanted him to do much, or any for that matter, spying lately. But there was something about Harriet that made him want to keep his distance. "She is yours. Learn how to handle her, or she will end up dead."

* * *

Severus thought that Lupin would take heed to his warning, but low and behold, Harriet was in his office the following morning.

"I made them tea," she announced with a smugness that only James Potter could muster at this godforsaken hour.

"Lovely," he drawled. He had to get to the Dark Lord. His Mark was starting to bled. The last think he wanted to deal with was the likes of Harriet Potter.

"You're leaving," she said bluntly. "And I'm coming with you."

Fed up, Severus pushed up his sleeve so fast that he winced in pain. "This is what I'm leaving for, you little fool. Now go. Run off to Lupin and Black—"

"He has been bewitched this whole time!" Harriet pressed. "Before, he was able to fight it because the God of Life blessed me—"

"YOU KNOW THAT ISN'T TRUE!" Severus roared. Every time he tried to distance himself from her, she either forced him to return or forced herself upon him! He couldn't take it anymore! She was never far from his thoughts! Never!

She shrunk away, but James Potter courage made her straighten up within moments, fool's courage. "He didn't take me with him the other night."

"Because you jumped off of him," Severus yelled. "You are getting in the way of _everything._ This…" He pointed at his swollen, bleeding Dark Mark. " _This_ is your fault! And you 'coming with me' is just going to make it worse! Go back to your alphabet and quills, Harriet!"

"He kicked me off him!" Harriet insisted. He shouldn't have sneered at her. Why the hell did he sneer at her? "I have a bruise! Look!"

Before he could stop her, Harriet took off her shirt to reveal a plain white brassiere that he was sure Molly Weasley spent a good, flustered hour explaining to her. She studied him and didn't move until he looked away. Then she spun around to reveal a bruise on her back.

"Harriet—" Severus swore when she bent over to give him a better look.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Black and Lupin seem to have awoken from their slumber… Lovely.

 **Thank you for reviewing RforRiddle, Extended Experience,** **Slytherin's Strumpet, A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess, and Sly Seraphina!**

 **It's been too long since I've posted! Was Harriet being able to handle the Potion's classroom too farfetched? She was scared out of her wits, but she wanted Severus, so she forced herself to be brave. And she knew what she was doing in that last scene! ;)**


	6. Stupid Harriet

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 6 Stupid Harriet

"I don't see what the problem is," stupid Harriet said lightly. Thank Merlin Lupin stunned Black the moment the dog lunged for him. "I needed to show him something."

"What?" Lupin asked flatly. His eyes were popping out of his head, and his wand arm was shaking. Severus wondered if he should flee or if it was unwise to make sudden movements. "Harry… Severus doesn't feel… erhm, the same way that you feel…"

Harriet stared at him blankly. She had yet to put on her shirt or notice that no one was looking directly at her. "How do you know?"

"Because…"

With an eye roll, she finally picked up her sweater and slid it over her head. Severus forced himself to remember that she was the same age as Granger, insufferable, know-it-all Granger. A child, no matter what the law said. And there was the disgusting fact that from a distance, he could mistake her for Lily.

"The King _let_ me go," she informed him. "So now that Severus knows, he will help me save him."

"BLARGGAHHHHH!" Black was trying in vain to speak through his stunner.

Lupin took a deep breath and slumped with relief when he saw that Severus was angry instead of fearful. "Harry, you're adjusting beautifully, and… I think it's time you've let us tell you the truth."

"Far away from me," Severus added. Lupin glared at him. Perhaps it wasn't so good that Black was stunned, because he couldn't stop himself from saying, "So now it is my fault she can't keep her clothes on around me, wolf?"

The wolf pointed his wand at his neck. Harriet, as usual, made things ten times worse. "I can mate with whomever I choose. Severus is the only one who treats me like a woman, not a child."

No one moved or said a word, sans the desperate, furious grunts coming from Black, who sounded like a constipated boar. Harriet seemed rather pleased with herself too. In her mind, she had finally gotten her point across. Lupin had yet to remove his wand from Severus's neck.

"What were the two of you doing?" Lupin growled, once he could say something.

 _"She,"_ Severus spat, "is trying to get me to rescue her _father._ Do you really think, Lupin, that I—?"

"Yes." Lupin glanced at Black, giving Severus time to knock is wand arm away. He hesitated, but eventually barreled on. "I see the way you two look at each other. You may not notice it but—"

"She is a child!" Severus yelled. Lily's child. No, Lily's daughter, who looked just like her. He wasn't _that_ sick. Besides, Harriet was nothing like Lily and a bit too looney to be like James Potter. "And you said just moments ago Lupin—"

"Because I want her to stay away from you!" Lupin screamed. Severus could count on his hand the number of times the man had visibly shown his anger. "And that clearly isn't going to work! SHE IS NOT LILY! STOP USING HER—"

"Everyone was in love with Mummy." His love for her mother clearly didn't seem to faze her. Lupin ignored her, which frustrated the brat. "And Severus talks to me. Everyone else talks _about_ me. I hear you asking Poppy if I can use the toilet properly. And I hear Black asking if I know how to eat with those tools. And…" She pursed her lips, one of her many strategies to hold back tears. "And just because I don't know the symbols doesn't mean I have no thoughts in my head."

Lupin couldn't bring himself to say that there was nothing wrong with her. Black even stopped his grunting. And Harriet was waiting. So that was what she wanted out of him. To be treated like a person. He treated her like he treated everyone else, which honestly, wasn't saying much.

"Harry," Lupin finally croaked. "Severus is not the type of person you should be… with. And I think it is going to be a long time before you can… be with anyone such a way."

Her nostrils flared and her tiny hands balled into fists. The Evans temper suited her, Severus thought. She knew just how to make someone feel like trash. "Because you don't see me as a person. I don't think like you, so I must not think at all."

"Harriet." All he had to do was say it. Say that he was still in love with Lily and always would be. Such words hadn't left his mouth in years, since Harriet was still in nappies. "This has to stop."

"Would you say that if we were alone?" No. He would strangle her if they were alone. She raised her eyebrows, telling him that she wouldn't believe any denial. Luckily, Lupin hadn't taken any of her words to heart because like Black, like Albus, he saw her as infantile.

"It doesn't matter," the wolf said darkly. "Because the two of you will never be alone again."

The look on Harriet's face said, _Challenge accepted._ Lucky him.

* * *

"Why didn't you let me kill him?" As soon as Sirius's stunner wore off, he summoned their newly re-acquired Marauder's Map and started looking for Snape. The man was nowhere to be found. What a surprise.

Remus stared at Harriet's footprints pacing her room. All he wanted to do was go home to Teddy and Dora. "You know it was her, Padfoot."

"How could it have been?" Sirius snapped. "He's the one who's been itching to get into Lily's pants since before he even knew what that was. And then a girl who looks just like her is thrown into his lap! A girl who has been manipulated her whole life! She's an easy target!"

Perhaps she was, but Harriet also didn't understand that a relationship with Snape was wrong. She boasted of marrying and "mating" with him. Snape knew it was wrong to act on such feelings. As much as he hated the other man, Remus knew that he truly did love Lily. He wouldn't betray her like that.

Sirius would never believe that. The sooner they could get Harriet to move into the house he shared with Remus, Dora, and Teddy, the better. But they lived in London. The country, in a home like the Burrow, would suit her better.

"I want him fired," Sirius went on. Remus had no idea how much of the other man's rant he had tuned out. "Because if I see him again—"

"I want Harriet to interact more with people her own age." _Then maybe she'd see that it wasn't normal to spend so much time with someone like Severus._ Remus wasn't sure if this would be enough to distract Sirius, but he doubted it. Snape had better steer clear of the rooms Sirius had been staying in. "She could use a friend, don't you think? Hermione has asked about her a few times."

"Yeah. Then maybe she won't notice me strangling Snivellus with his own intestines."

Lovely.

* * *

Stupid Harriet. Severus couldn't stop thinking of _the incident_ when he finally found himself in the presence of the Dark Lord. Instead of the demands and torture curses, the monster of a man burst out laughing at the sight of him, at the sight of his memories.

"Well, well, well Wormtail." The Dark Lord cackled. Severus tried to focus on the icy, unnatural fog surrounding him. "It looks like Severus can't get your _daughter_ of his mind. Or at least, he can't get her _breasts_ off his mind."

Pettigrew, the man who started it all, stopped his endless shivering. "My lord?"

In all his time following his master, Severus couldn't recall ever hearing him say anything sexual. He didn't think the man was capable of such endeavors. Such things were only for humiliation and manipulation, Severus supposed because the Dark Lord couldn't stop laughing at him.

"I was hoping to bring her to you, my lord," Severus lied smoothly. "That is the cause of my… delay. However… her guardians walked in on my… attempts."

The Dark Lord snorted. "Attempts? Your success makes me wonder… Does she have any concept of beauty, Wormtail?"

He would rather be tortured. At least Lucius wasn't here. He had to make some excuse for his absence over the past few days, and he had at least a dozen in his mind. Then Harriet Bloody Potter had to invade his thoughts. He didn't want her shirtless with her arse in the air to be what saved his life.

"She-she doesn't even fully know what she l-l-looks like, my lord," Pettigrew spluttered. "We d-d-didn't have mirrors. I don't th-th-think so."

The Dark Lord laughed again, a sound that made a few birds in the distance flee. "Well Severus, I suppose you are a step up from her _father._ "

Coming from a man who had two slits for a nose. Severus was almost tempted to roll his eyes. Thankfully, he had given up on caring about his dismal appearance years ago, thanks to James Potter and Sirius Black.

"However." In a flash, all of the humor disappeared from the Dark Lord's face. "I did not ask you to retrieve her. That is Wormtail's duty. A simple duty that he failed. A child who is puddy in his hands. A child who can't even cast the simplest of spells."

"My lord." The pathetic man dropped to his knees and instantly started sobbing. Severus was sure he had done this many times over the past few days. How many injuries did the Dark Lord heal only to cause again? "I was s-s-surrounded! If I was c-c-captured, I would not have been able to restore you to your true form!"

" _Crucio!_ Stop making excuses!" the Dark Lord screamed. The sight reminded Severus of a mother with a short temper dealing with a whining toddler. Pettigrew's pitiful screams left a ringing in his ears. "Stealing an infant would have been more difficult! She ran right into your arms, and you still failed! She can't even fight back!"

"But she can," Severus interrupted. The more information he gave about Harriet, the less he would have to think about Albus and his plans. "She may be worthless when it comes to using a wand, but she is very skilled in wandless magic."

"She is not!" Pettigrew thundered, again, reminding Severus of an angry toddler. "Any magic she learned has been erased from her memory! She does not remember any magic she has ever used that did not have to do with healing!"

"You mean any magic she told you about," Severus countered. "And I've seen the tornado."

Pettigrew paled. Slowly, Severus entered his mind, seeing that he did not remember to erase that particular memory because two broken legs distracted him. Harriet was simply yelled at instead. "That… That is something can easily be fixed!"

What other magic did she know at one time? Severus thought. "Oh? Are you sure? Because I'm beginning to wonder how blindly she followed you. After getting over the initial shock, she quickly started to adjust. Lupin is teaching her how to read."

"Do not deflect, Severus," the Dark Lord spat, pointing his wand at Severus. "If you think the girl is such a challenge, prove it. You have one month to bring her to me. I'm sure I will enjoy your _attempts_ at seduction." He cackled once again. "Now, let us get on with your punishment. _Crucio!_ "

* * *

"Do you remember me, Harriet?" Her name was Hermione. Of course she remembered her! It was a few days ago! Harriet wasn't sure that she liked her. She wondered what Severus was up to.

"Yes," she said grumpily. Hermione did her best to smile.

"Well, reading is one of my favorite activities." Oh wonderful. Another one who wanted to force the symbols upon her. She had gotten through life just fine without them. "So, I was wondering if I could read to you. About magic."

Magic was a great responsibility for the king and the king only. She loved using it, but that was her secret, something she kept for herself. There wasn't much she had for herself, especially now. And was Daddy even a king?

"Well?" Hermione pressed. What a clever girl, getting her interested in the symbols without actually showing them to her and forcing her to look at them.

Harriet fidgeted. Black was watching her eagerly. Lupin was off with his son. He and Dora had a baby at their house. She wondered what a baby looked like. Were they fat and squishy, like Daddy said? Or was it another one of his lies?

She didn't have to tell Hermione what she knew, _and_ she didn't have to look at the symbols. Come to think of it, she probably didn't have to sit still in the chair either. There was no harm in it. Well, besides her pride. Daddy said stubbornness was a flaw if it kept one from what he or she wanted.

"Fine." She pretended to sound disinterested. "If that's what you want."

* * *

The next time Severus crossed paths with Harriet, he didn't even notice until he heard the twittering of a Cornish pixie. Apparently, Lupin was thrown off by the fact that someone who never had to concentrate on something she didn't want to was having trouble in a classroom. Pomona had taken the girl on in hopes of getting her interest in academics.

He was still alive, so that meant Black was nowhere to be found. Besotted with the idea of knowing a female who liked getting just as dirty as she did, Pomona handed him the ingredients he desired and practically ran back to Harriet without another word. The Asphodel pedals incident was already forgotten.

Harriet didn't notice him either. She was too engrossed with what Pomona was teaching her. That is until he entered her mind to unravel her hidden memories.

 _Unicorns. Severus should have guessed. Harriet was an eleven year old girl without a friend in the world. Of course she enamored with the unicorns._

 _And they enjoyed her as well. They both had a flawed innocence about them. Both were weary of outsiders but hoped for the best, despite crippling fear. Six years later and Harriet still clung to that hope. While it probably kept what little sanity she had from crumbling, Severus looked down upon her for it. It helped him see her as a child, not the clever woman who was trying to have her way with him_ _ **and**_ _trick him into doing her bidding._

 _"It must've fallen in some branches," Pettigrew said when he found Harriet kneeling by a dead unicorn. There were two puncture wounds in its neck, and Harriet said nothing as she stroked its snow white mane. "Come. We mustn't stay out after dark."_

 _"Why?" Harriet said thickly._

 _"Babies cry, Harriet, not children," Pettigrew said tiredly. "And because I don't want you to get hurt, that's why." Severus knew better. The rat knew that the Dark Lord would come out at night, searching for more unicorns to victimize. "Now get up, we can bury it in the morning."_

 _Reluctantly, Harriet rose to her feet. "Can we plant lilies on its grave?"_

 _"No. Lilies are only for the queen's grave." Pettigrew solemnly walked Harriet to their home. Severus didn't know what was sicker. The fact that the rat had a fake grave for Lily or that he pretended to be in love with the woman he as good as killed._

 _Harriet didn't like the answer to that. She pretended to sleep for a few hours, thinking of unicorns nuzzling grass out of her hands or letting her play with the foals and fillies. Once she heard Pettigrew's snoring, she rose to her feet and snuck out of their cave._

 _Her intentions were to steal seeds from the flowers at Lily's fake grave. Pettigrew charmed them to thrive despite the elements, and she was sure the seeds would be just as strong. All she needed was a few. Then, she would always be able to find her friend's grave. Pettigrew wouldn't notice since the flowers would take at least a few days to sprout._

 _Harriet's teeth chattered as she made her way through the cold, dark forest. It was foggier than she recalled. Pettigrew hadn't let her out after dark in quite some time. Perhaps it was simply the weather, and she had forgotten what fall was truly like last year, she thought to herself._

 _Before she could reach Lily's "grave," Harriet witnessed another crime against one of her beloved unicorn friends. She could not see who it was, but Severus knew it was the Dark Lord who was draining the poor creature of its blood._

 _Harriet itched at her scar. The pain was great, but she forced herself to ignore it. She had to save the unicorn._

 _Severus didn't understand what she did next. Like a tiny dragon, she inhaled air and exhaled fire towards the Dark Lord. A tree was set ablaze as he jumped back. The unicorn weakly did its best to hobble away as the Dark Lord started racing towards her._

 _When he grabbed her arms, Harriet couldn't take the pain in her scar anymore and started screaming. Distantly, Severus heard the bark of that oaf Hagrid's dog, but Harriet had already transformed into a mouse and was off._

 _She returned to Pettigrew half squeaking, half sobbing in fear of the creature that was killing the unicorns. Only the man screaming, "QUIET!" shut her up._

 _Pettigrew paced and ran his hands through his hair while Harriet sniffled and quietly begged for forgiveness. Since they were the only two people in their world, they had a terrible power over each other. If one was done with the other, they would each have no one._

 _ **"Obliviate!"**_ _Pettigrew sighed with relieved when Harriet blinked blankly at him. Severus felt the memory struggle to remain unfogged. He must have worried every time he cast a spell with Slughorn's wand. Perhaps that is why Severus could easily break through the weak charm._

 _"Now… You were lost and tried to use magic to light a stick so you could see better." Pettigrew bit his lip, and his eyes filled with tears. Severus held his breath as Harriet remained dazed and confused. "And you only ended up burning yourself. Magic is not meant for those who can't handle it."_

 _He reignited the fire, and Severus started pulling out of the memory when he started pulling Harriet's hand towards it. The last thing he heard was her high pitched, shocked, scream._

Harriet was staring at him when he returned to the real world. He expected another breakdown, like her last encounter with Pettigrew. Instead she hardened and turned away. Pomona raised her eyebrows, probably wondering why the two of them were staring intently at each other for several minutes.

"I think it is best you leave, Severus," she said suspiciously. Great. Yet another person was eager to accuse him.

"I believe you are correct, Pomona." Severus turned heel and left to brood, wondering not only what he was going to do with this information but also what Harriet was going to do. He had given her another weapon.

* * *

Her right hand. Harriet remembered the burn and touched where it was at least a hundred times over the past few days. There wasn't a scar. She was the healer of the Forest after all.

If the vision had been from anyone but Severus, she wouldn't have believed it. Plus, Severus didn't know about Mummy's grave. Or the unicorn. Or anything about that night really.

"Pay attention, Harriet!" Hermione called. She was trying to teach her some sort of game that involved kicking around a 'football,' whatever that was. Harriet sighed, still not used to having to pay attention instead of wanting to.

Her mind was still on the magic she had performed when she was small. Before the other day, the only memory she had of magic was the tornado when she rescued Daddy. He had yelled at her, not stopping when she started crying, and no matter what she did, she couldn't make him feel guilty about being so mean about it. That was how she knew she did something really wrong.

But did she? Perhaps the Great Snake had had his hold on Daddy longer than she thought. And did following the Great Snake even bother him? Harriet didn't think so. He had burned her… It was easier thinking about magic than Daddy.

The air was cold and dry. Six years had passed since she had used that particular form of magic. Harriet wondered if she still could do it. Surely Hermione and her friends wouldn't notice a little puff of smoke. She just wanted to see if she could remember.

Harriet focused all of her magic into her belly and lungs. After she tried, she would play with them. She took a deep breath.

* * *

"I want him fired!" Black spat. "No! I want him arrested!"

The mutt stormed into Albus's office the moment he realized that Severus had returned from the Dark Lord. His bones still ached from the torture, but he could not delay, since he knew what Black would be accusing him off. Actually, he was more interested in what Lupin had to say, now that the anger wasn't as hot.

"For?" Severus asked dryly, doing his best to sound disinterested. Then, he would look less guilty. He had broken no laws, and Harriet had initiated the incident. He wouldn't call it an accident, giving the conversation with Lupin that followed. She was well aware of the fact that she should keep her shirt on around men. She had pretended she didn't.

"Severus…" Lupin was watching Harriet play football from Albus's window, no doubt worrying about her being alone with Granger and the Weasleys. He briefly turned away to face him. "We're concerned about something… _developing_ between you and Harriet. And you do agree that wouldn't be fair to someone of her… capacity, wouldn't you?"

"He doesn't CARE!" Black screamed. "He is going to take advantage of her—"

"She is trying her best to take advantage of me." Severus held up one hand and pointed his wand at Black with the other when the man charged at him. Stunning him would prevent him from further making a fool of himself. Severus levitated him in the air, happily recalling when Black had done the same to him. How wonderful that the tables have turned. "And it is not going to work."

Lupin thinned his lips and turned back to the window, ignoring Black's curses and threats. "So you won't care that we're hoping to start bring her home during the nights by Christmas."

"Why would I?" In fact, it would be a relief. "I don't want her near me, Lupin. She simply manages to fool you two idiots time and time again. Good luck trying to catch her in London."

"Actually, we're hoping to hire—" Lupin's eyes widened. "Oh my God…"

Severus walked over to see the field out the window was covered in flames.

* * *

The fire was being put out by Granger and Ronald Weasley by the time they had arrived. Harriet's eyes were huge, but from the fire or from half of Hogwarts student body running out of the castle, Severus did not know. However, it was clear that she knew she was in trouble. When she ran for the Forbidden Forest, Severus found himself chasing her before he could stop himself. Black and Lupin were still calling her name, trying to find her in the dying, bright yellow and orange flames.

He had to charm his shoes again. Her panicked, terrified gasps for air slowed her down, and Severus was at her heels in a matter of moments. She spun around, slapping him in the face with her wild red hair. It smelled like smoke and smeared ash in his face.

"You cannot follow me!" she bawled. "You are not of royal blood!"

"Neither are you!" Severus said cruelly. "Go back to the field, Harriet."

"I wanted to see if I could do it!" She started hyperventilating and balled her fists. "Nothing is going right! I need to talk to her!"

Lily. Severus didn't (couldn't) say anything until Harriet turned around and started walking away. She wanted to go to her grave. Lily's empty grave. Severus couldn't bare it.

"She's not there." Severus gulped when she stopped walking. "I'm sorry… But she's not."

Harriet kept her back to him. "The Great Snake ate her. Daddy sliced him open, but it was already too late—"

"You saw the Dark Lord," Severus said quietly. "That he is not truly a snake. Do you really think he is physically capable of swallowing another person?"

"HE WIELDS EVIL MAGIC!" Harriet finally faced him. "You are trying to trick me into digging Mummy up!"

"Why would I do that?" The very thought made him want to throw up, and by Harriet's trembling lip, he knew she didn't believe it herself. "I-I could take you to her, if you like."

They walked in silence to the edge of the Forbidden Forest that bordered Hogsmeade. Once they were off Hogwarts property, Severus held out his hand for her to apparate. After the conversation he had in Albus's office, he knew he shouldn't be doing this. He told himself it was for Lily when Harriet grabbed his hand after a slight hesitation. He was going back to Godric's Hollow for the first time in over fifteen years.

Harriet ran her fingers over the engraving of the lily on the tombstone she shared with Potter. The last time he was here, Severus found himself too worried about running into Lupin to stick around for long. Lily's grave was still fresh.

Her fingers stopped at the lettering. "Are you lying to me?"

Both of them couldn't take their eyes off the tombstone. Severus hoarsely said, "No."

The saddest part was that she couldn't even read the message on the grave. _The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death._ He expected either denial or for her to ask why Pettigrew had lied to her.

"Is he really my father?"

Lupin and Black danced around the subject, an idea of Lupin's or Albus's, surely. But they never called Pettigrew her father. Severus was sure of it. They found it easier to call him a king.

"No," he repeated, just as hoarsely. He pointed at Potter's first name. Lupin had mentioned to Albus that she could recognize her name. "That says James. Would you agree that Peter would have a T in it like Harriet?"

Her eyes filled with tears that she thought herself above. Crying made her think less of herself. Self-hatred made her say, "You love Mummy. Isn't it wrong to love someone who doesn't love you back?"

If she could be cruel, he could too. "You tell me."

She stared at him, studying every inch of his face. He had to be ready for whatever manipulation she would use. More taunts about Lily, threats, or even desperate pleas to rescue the rat. If she dared compare Pettigrew to Lily…

Her mouth was on his before he realized that she was close enough to kiss him. The smell of fall could be found under the smoke as she tried to bring his face even closer to her with her hands… What was he doing?

 **Thank you for the reviews Ranma-sama, Child of Dreams, and A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess!**


	7. Master Manipulator

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 7 Master Manipulator

He was kissing Lily's teenage daughter in front of her grave. Lily's grave! The place where she was supposed to rest in peace was being defiled by Harriet, who was pressing her thin body against his. This was all her fault, Severus told himself. When he found his arms reaching for the small of her back to hug her closer, he pushed her off instead.

They were both panting like animals. He was out of panic and horror. Harriet was out of lust.

"We're going back to the Forest," Severus said curtly. Harriet didn't say anything, but before she grabbed his arm to apparate, she looked over her shoulder, at Lily's grave.

* * *

"You're angry," Harriet said as they started to walk back to the field where Black and Lupin were surely panicking.

"How perceptive of you," he drawled.

"What does…?" Harriet clenched her jaw and stomped all of two feet before she opened her big mouth again. "Even if Mummy didn't love you, wouldn't she want you to be happy?"

"Could you shut up for once, Harriet?" One thing he hated was a chatterbox. But she wasn't talking about nothing, like that airheaded Lavender Brown. Worse, she was talking about how he felt.

"No," Harriet said simply. "You could shut me up though."

Good lord, she was attempting to flirt with him. Returning her kiss was a mistake, a reflex. When was the last time he had laid with a woman? Years. More than half of Harriet's life. And was she ever not a drunken desperate one? That was it. His body simply craved the physical contact he abhorred.

Harriet sighed. "And here I thought you were finally seeing reason."

Merlin he hated her.

* * *

"Harry!" Lupin was rushing towards her almost as soon as they had gotten out of the Forbidden Forest. Harriet was pouting like a kicked puppy, which Severus figured was good for him. No one would guess what they were just doing.

Did he mention Black was stupid? "What were you doing?" he demanded. "It's been nearly an hour!"

"Chasing her," Severus lied smoothly. Harriet growled at that. _She_ was the one chasing _him._

"I don't think that's something you should be doing, Severus," Lupin said stiffly. But the mongrel must have believed him because he immediately softened and turned to Harriet. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

Harriet shook her head and backed away… behind him. Severus tried to force himself to remember that Pettigrew had burned her hand for a fire not nearly as bad as this. However, Lupin and Black didn't know that. Black took out his wand.

Luckily, Lupin was slightly brighter. "It's okay, Harry. We know it was an accident. Were you mad at Ginny for yelling at you?"

The ground was charred and blackened beneath their feet. If it wasn't for magic, Severus was sure that the grass would never grow back. "I wasn't paying attention," she whispered shamefully. "I was thinking about magic and wanted to see if I could do it."

Black roughly shoved him out of the way. Severus decided to let him. He didn't want it to look like he wanted Harriet near him. What was he thinking? Kissing her like that?

"You're not in trouble," Black pressed. "We were just so worried."

Getting caught using magic was the one thing that made Harriet act like a child. She looked at her now soot covered shoes. "I'm sorry."

Lupin grabbed her by her shoulders and gave her a once over. Severus held his breath, absurdly waiting for him to find some evidence of the kiss. Black narrowed his eyes, staring at him.

"You can go now," he said bluntly. And as much as he hated to admit it, Severus supposed he was right. He couldn't risk Black thinking he cared about Harriet. He had to say something cruel, something that wouldn't lead Black to believe that there was something going on between them. Because there most certainly wasn't.

"She clearly isn't fit to be around students," he boomed for all to hear. Harriet gave him the smallest of smiles. Great. "Lock her up."

"Stay away from her," Black snarled. "It wouldn't take an hour to catch her. And we were in the Forest! There was no sign of either of you!"

"I run fast," Harriet said lightly. Now she was happy that he was lying and eager to do the same. Never good, considering how well she could manipulate the two mutts. "And I thought I was in trouble. I didn't stop until he froze me."

"You stunned her!" Black roared.

"Sirius," Lupin tried. "We would've had to do the same—"

" _We_ wouldn't _do_ anything to her!" Black thought he had stunned Harriet and molested her. This day just kept getting better and better. "This is why Albus has to fire him! She's only a baby and—"

"Do what?" Harriet did her best to look innocence and confused, causing Black to turn bright red.

Well, if Harriet was going to lie for him, he might as well take advantage of it. This was her fault anyway. "Yes, Black. Do what while I heard you screaming at a distance in the Forbidden Forest? Use your pea-sized brain before you make disgusting accusations."

Black stammered and spluttered, trying to figure out why it would make perfect sense for Severus to do such a thing at risk of being caught at any moment. Lupin, however, was staring at Harriet, who went from scared to over the moon in a matter of moments.

"Do what?" Harriet repeated to upset Black even more.

Lupin frowned, which Severus took as his cue to leave. He had to drink away the day's memories anyway.

* * *

The more he drank, the more he worried about Harriet telling. Severus stumbled into his room after Aberforth finally kicked him out of the Hog's Head. He should have stayed to defend himself more, to say she was a liar when she finally started boasting. She had no problem with saying she wanted to "mate" with him.

"I'm sorry!" he slurred as he fell onto his nightstand and knocked over an old picture of him and Lily at the train station. The frame cracked in the middle of her face. Now she looked like Harriet. No… Harriet looked like Lily. Did she though…? Severus was too drunk to remember.

He could only remember her sharp tongue, her intelligence, her bravery. With shaking hands, Severus picked up the photograph. He could get a new picture frame.

"I'll st-stay awa-away," he mumbled to Lily's picture before falling asleep crouched on the floor.

 _He hated this dream. Well, it was a wonderful dream, actually. The worst part was the fact that he woke up._

 _It was his and Lily's wedding day. Given their Muggle heritage, he always pictured them running out of the church into a limousine, which would take them to their honeymoon._

 _He was twenty, happy, and for once, excited for the rest of his life. Severus lifted Lily's veil to kiss her, only to be met with hazel eyes gazing at him triumphantly._

 _"Isn't it much better, Severus," she asked lightly, doing her best not to gloat, "to love someone who loves you back?"_

 _She kissed him hungrily and once again, Severus kissed her back. As she leaned back into the leather seat, his hand slid up her pure white dress. This… this was Lily's dress. Not Harriet's…_

 _"I love you." Harriet closed her eyes and arched her back as he removed his hand and climbed on top of her._

 _"I love you too," he whispered as they started making love._

When she cried out his name, Severus woke up with a start. The sun was blaring in his eyes, and it felt like a spike was being hammered into his skull. What was wrong with him?

He had passed out on the picture frame and sat on the floor for looking at it for a long time. He loved Lily, not Harriet, and what he had done, no what he was doing, was the ultimate betrayal. This had to stop.

* * *

Harriet narrowed her eyes at the new person in the library. Right away, she could tell that this was a woman who wouldn't fall for her tricks. Black was biting his nails. Yes, she was not someone to mess with.

"Hello, my name's Ms. Marlene." Her voice was nice, yet firm. She held out her hand. Harriet just stared at her. "Do you know what I am?"

"A woman," Harriet said flatly.

Ms. Marlene laughed. "A healer, just like you. Except I specialize in a certain kind of healing. I'm a behaviorist. Do you know why I'm here?" Harriet stared. "You've getting into a lot of trouble, wouldn't you agree?" Harriet didn't say anything. "Harriet?"

"I didn't mean to set the fire." Did Severus tell them about the kiss? Well she could kiss whoever she wanted.

"I wasn't referring to that." Ms. Marlene raised her eyebrows and swept some of her pale blonde hair behind her ear. "What do you think of your behavior in the classroom?"

Ah. So this was Lupin's idea. Harriet resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Getting out of this would be easy. "The other people…" She paused to look at the small group of children a few tables behind them. "…make me nervous."

Black's eyes widened. "We could—"

Ms. Marlene held up a hand to silence him. "Funny. You weren't too nervous finding Snape's classroom and being in it for quite some time, even though there were plenty of students closer to you then than there are now. You know why?" Harriet scowled and didn't say anything. She already knew why. "Because you wanted something."

"Really," Black said quickly, "we can find another room—"

Mr. Marlene ignored him. "These games are going to stop, Harriet. They may have worked in the Forbidden Forest, but they aren't going to work here. If you want something, you have to earn it. You are a lot braver, and a lot smarter than you've lead everyone to believe."

Lead everyone to believe? _They_ were the ones who thought she had no thoughts in her head. She simply let them, when it suited her. "I don't like hordes of members of Civilization."

"And I don't like eating vegetables." Why not? This woman was strange… "But I do it because it's good for me. Getting used to people and new things is good for you, Harriet. So we're going to work on that, along with sitting still."

There was no point to sitting still. Or being around new people. She knew quite a few already and was never lonely like she was when she was small, and Daddy had a sickness of the mind.

"I have a little chart for you." Ms. Marlene pushed a square piece of parchment towards here. "And I'm making you another. For every five minutes you work _sitting down_ with Remus with your letters, you get ten minutes of time outside. We'll adjust the time accordingly. Our second chart will be similar. A class called Muggle Studies is making presentations for next year's Muggleborn students on wizarding society. You're going to watch."

Muggle what? Harriet sighed and started to head for the window, her favorite spot. She jumped when Ms. Marlene snapped her fingers. "What?"

"I need your full attention," Ms. Marlene said firmly, again nicely, but not too nicely. Black was looking at her as if she screamed in Harriet's face. "You're going to sit in a desk like the other students and watch. You are their guest and distracting the audience is rude."

Harriet had no idea what she was talking about. She was going to have to get rid of this woman… But she'd have to leave her be, for now anyway. "Okay."

She scribbled something on her own parchment. Her letters weren't like the letters Harriet was used to seeing. Whatever she wrote, Black didn't seem to like.

"We're starting today," Ms. Marlene said. "And I'm hoping you earn at least ten minutes."

Harriet couldn't resist rolling her eyes this time. "Okay…"

Ms. Marlene smiled. "And Professor Dumbledore has a tracker on you, Harriet. So we'll know if you sneak out."

Damn her!

* * *

All she had to do was tell Black she didn't like Ms. Marlene. Hopefully Lupin was off with his wife and baby. Harriet glanced out the window. The sun had long since gone down. He was usually home by now.

Harriet tossed her paints to the side and headed for his room. She stopped at the door when she heard people talking.

"I'm sorry." Lupin's wife was here. "But Sirius, I can't have someone living with my baby when they're starting fires. If she moves in with you, Remus and I will have to leave."

"She didn't mean it." Black's voice was pleading. Harriet didn't mind. They could at least ask her before dragging her somewhere. One would think they had learned their lesson the last time. She wasn't leaving the Forest or Severus.

"It doesn't matter that she didn't mean it," Nymphadora said tiredly. "What matters is she can't control her magic, and Teddy's just a baby. I'm afraid to have them meet this weekend."

"Dora." This bothered Lupin and left a funny feeling in Harriet's chest. She could control her magic and wouldn't hurt anyone, let alone a baby. "She would never hurt someone on purpose. She won't even eat meat. She knows not to try something like that around Teddy."

"You don't know that," Nymphadora whispered. "I'm sorry Remus, but I was talking to Marlene. You don't know her at all. Marlene was watching her today. She's not…" She lowered her voice to an angry whisper. "…intellectually impaired! But she wants you to think she is. And when she doesn't, you don't even believe her."

Lupin angered, a rarity. "Because I don't want her taking her shirt off in front of Snape? And since when does that equal mental maturity?"

"I'm just saying that we don't know if she wants to hurt us." The thumping of Nymphadora's shoes told Harriet she was pacing. "Look at who raised her. For all we know, he raised her to follow Voldemort. She could be waiting for the perfect opportunity to—"

"Get out," Black yelled. "Get out NOW!"

Harriet ran off before she could open the door.

* * *

"Harriet, if you want to earn today, _sit down._ "

Some of the books had art. Not all of them though. Harriet liked to flip through them to see. It was too cold for outside anyway. Harriet turned around to face Ms. Marlene. Lupin and Black were acting like nothing happened. They didn't want her to know that Nymphadora thought she was evil.

"I don't care," Harriet said hotly, trying not to look out the window as she told the lie.

Ms. Marlene tapped her quill on the table. "You want to tell me what's bothering you?"

No. And why should she? Ms. Marlene would tell Nymphadora anyway. Harriet merely stared before turning back to the books.

Ms. Marlene shrugged. "She just won't earn today."

"But—"

"She won't even sit in the chair, Sirius!" Lupin was irritated. Probably because his wife was so mean.

Ms. Marlene wasn't bothered in the slightest. "If it was easy for her, you wouldn't need me. She'll learn. If you let her outside, Sirius, it'll only be harder for her in the long run."

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Harriet yelled, letting her book fall to the floor. "I'm not… _stupid_ and I'm not evil and I didn't mean to set the fire!"

Ms. Marlene smiled sadly. "So you heard Dora talking to Sirius and Remus?"

Both men paled. Harriet didn't care. "No."

Ms. Marlene looked at a strange thing on her wrist. "Let's work on a different skill today. It's Saturday, meaning no school for the Hogwarts students. Want to have lunch with Hermione and Ginny?"

"No."

"Alone?" Ms. Marlene prompted.

They had that tracker. But they had to look at it, Harriet thought, for it to work. No one said anything when she snuck outside as the sun was coming up this morning. Harriet pursed her lips. She had an idea, but she was afraid Ms. Marlene would see right through it. It would be better if she wasn't there.

"You have to tell me," Ms. Marlene pressed. "Yes or no."

Harriet gritted her teeth. "Yes."

* * *

It was the practical part of the lesson, and for once, Severus didn't find Longbottom doing something wrong first. He snatched the note out of Granger's hand before she could pass it to Weasley. Parkinson was already having a giggling fit.

"Sir!"

"Silence, Ms. Granger." Because he wanted to humiliate the wretched lovebirds, Severus started reading the note without thinking.

" _You should be angry! I'm_ _your_ _boyfriend, Mione._

 _"Be nice to her!_

 _"She's going to try to kill me! You saw what she did last week!_

 _"It was an accident! And her having a boyfriend will help her out socially, even if its fake!_

 _"She said she wanted to mate with me!"_

Severus paused, realizing they were talking about Harriet. So now her sights were set out on Weasley. He supposed he should be relieved.

 _"Ginny's getting her ready! It's cute! Just take her to Hogsmeade, introduce her to some new foods... I don't think she's capable of anything sexual."_

"Make sure your new girlfriend has her nappy changed before you _mate_ with her Weasley!" Draco yelled. The Slytherin side of the class roared with laughter.

"I have to say it is a step up from your last one!" Parkinson cackled.

Severus held up his hand to silence all the taunts and laughs. Granger was redder than a tomato. "Detention, both of you!" He walked slowly in front of Weasley's desk, stopping and staring until the boy started cowering in his seat. "Or am I interfering with your _love life,_ Mr. Weasley?"

Weasley shook his head quickly. "N-no, sir!"

Severus flicked his wand in Longbottom's direction, causing his cauldron to fall to the floor. The contents smelled like rotting eggs. "You will spend the night cleaning my floors with a toothbrush."

* * *

"What?" Severus didn't know why, but he had been particularly angry all week. Anyone with Weasley red hair had been working within an inch of their life during their double detentions.

"Do not give Ron detention this Saturday." As if he could possibly be menacing, Lupin cornered him in his office Friday morning. "Harry hasn't mentioned you once this week!"

"Are you going to throw a party?" Severus shoved Lupin away and pointed his wand at his coffee pot to start it off. "Then tell him to stop acting like a bumbling buffoon."

"Hermione told me what you've been doing," Lupin seethed. "You're jealous."

"Excuse me?" That was absolutely preposterous! Weasley was doing him a favor by keeping that little gremlin away.

"We're finally making progress!" Lupin hissed. "And you're sabotaging it!"

"Have you noticed, Lupin," Severus said slowly, hoping the idiot would understand, "that I've avoided giving Weasley a Saturday detention, even though it is what I usually do? Do you think I want her to continue threatening my job and place in the Order every chance she gets?"

Lupin disregarded everything he just said. "She's moving on. Let her."

Severus snorted as the wolf swept away. Moving on with Weasley, who was in love with Granger? That'll be the day.

* * *

The Ron boy was afraid of her. That's why she asked him. It would be easy to get rid of him. Plus, the fact that his real mate Hermione didn't say anything proved that they thought she was a baby. Harriet wondered if they would ever think she wasn't. She was beginning to doubt it.

"It's called a fork," Ron said nervously as she fumbled with her spaghetti.

Harriet pointed to his napkin. "And that's called a napkin. I could teach you how to use it, if you like."

He jumped and started furiously wiping the sauce off his face, thinking he had offended Harriet in some way. Harriet had to say that he was one of the stranger members of Civilization. He regarded her with fear, not pity. "S-sorry."

Harriet wasn't sure that she liked that. She didn't want to be feared. But it was giving her what she wanted… Still, the quivering boy made her feel guilty. Oh well. "When are we going to mate?"

Ron started choking on his meatball. Harriet watched calmly as he hacked it up. "Uh… I…"

She had to do this if she was going to get to see Severus. Besides, this was what he expected. It was his fault for thinking she was so strange. "You do know where young come from, don't you?"

Ron started making an odd face that resembled a fish out of water. "I-I…"

"And how come…" This was what bothered Harriet the most. They thought they could let her think she was involved with someone when she really wasn't. So really, there was nothing wrong with doing the same to them. "How come you agreed to mate with me when Hermione's your wife?"

"She's not my wife!" Ron squeaked. "We-we're together but not _married._ "

"Uhuh." Harriet did her best to look angry. Ron paled. "If you don't mind, I'd like to turn in early."

Ron happily agreed.

* * *

Severus figured Harriet knew better than to be interested in a Weasley, but he didn't expect to find her in his office Saturday night, sitting on his desk and showing off her slender legs with a dark grey skirt.

"Ginny gave it to me," she informed him as he tried to figure out what to say. "She likes to tease her brother."

"Get out," Severus snapped when he finally found this voice.

Harriet kicked her feet but otherwise didn't move. "I like her though. She said I should get rid of the hair on my legs and under my arms and on my—"

"GET OUT!" Severus yelled. Albus had a tracker on her. With his luck, the entire Order would swarm in when she was talking about her… newly hairless parts.

Harriet hopped off his desk and took a few steps closer to him. "Because she thinks I'm trying to mate with her brother. But I knew he's already mated to Hermione. I say a few weird things, and he turns red and gets too embarrassed to realize I left an hour before I told Black I would return."

So this was the real Harriet. She was using Weasley, so Black and Lupin wouldn't realize she was sneaking off with him. Cunning, manipulative, and most importantly, smart. She took a step closer, and he took a step back.

"This has to stop," was all he could say.

"Why?" she asked lightly. "Because Black said so?"

Severus grabbed her by her wrists to scream in her face but drew away when she grinned, expecting him to kiss her. "You are messing with someone who's been doing this since before you were born. Black and Lupin may be as stupid as Pettigrew, but I am not."

"Why'd you kiss me back that day?" she asked bluntly.

 _None of your business_ , he wanted to say childishly. Wasn't his anger after the kiss proof enough that he didn't want to see her? "I won't say it again, Harriet. Get out."

"You're scared," Harriet challenged.

She wasn't going to give up. That much was clear. After that dream, Severus wanted to vomit just thinking about her. The feelings he had for her, though purely sexual, were wrong, sick. He had to put a stop to this. There was only one thing he could say to make her go away. Go away and never come back. "There was a prophecy before you were born."

"A what?" Harriet's face fell. His shaky tone told her that he was about to say something horrible.

Severus gulped. He had never admitted to anyone except Albus the mistake that made him want to kill himself. "A witch predicted that you could defeat the Dark Lord. I overheard the prediction and told him."

"So?" She didn't understand the gravity of a prophecy. Hell, she hadn't even batted an eye when he showed her his Dark Mark. She believed the best of him, and as a result, she brought out the worst in him, a sick part that needed to die.

"I wasn't always a spy." Severus found it hard to breath but barreled on. "I told Him, and that is why He hunted down your parents. That is why they are dead. That is why you were kidnapped, why you can't read, why you can't do _anything_ and constantly look like an idiot. It is why you stand here now, trying to _mate_ with someone who doesn't give a damn about you. It is why you will die at the hands of the Dark Lord—"

"You are infected!" Harriet's eyes became so wide that Severus actually feared they were about to pop out. At that moment, she truly looked crazy. "The Great Snake has infected you like he did to Daddy!"

Of course she had to make up a delusion to ignore the truth. It was she was raised to do. Severus sneered at her. "I went to him first. After making your dear _mummy_ cry."

"I'll save you," she promised. Severus felt his own eyes bulge as she rushed past him. "I'll save you both."

Severus couldn't move. Not even the worst could chase her off.

* * *

Often, Marlene didn't know what to think of Harriet. Sirius had given her permission to write a book about her. Anything, he said, as long as she gets better.

But Marlene was sure this book was going to be confusing, contradictory, and all around unbelievable. She frowned as she watched Harriet sulk in the grass. Being outside was usually soothing for her, but not today.

"Are you alright?" Nothing. Marlene was used to that. It took a little while for her to adjust to new people, Remus said. She needed to see her every day for a while. "You know, I had my eyes on your tracker last night. I didn't want Sirius to ruin your fun."

She tensed and turned her face away from the grass to look at her. "I got lost."

"That excuse worked last time, didn't it?" Marlene said lightly. "How'd it go? Your real date that is." Harriet put her face back in the grass. Severus must have set her straight. "That bad, huh? …Harry, I think we should have something that's just for us, don't you?"

"No."

"Really?" Marlene smiled. There was one thing that always interested Harriet, one thing the boys were too scared to mess with. "Because I was going to teach you how to use magic. Your way first."

Harriet peaked out of the grass again. She was glaring at her in an attempt to hide her curiosity. The dead grass made her eyes look especially dark, not much like the light hazel she was used to seeing on James. There was a hurt in them that James was lucky enough to never experience.

"And what I mean by that…" Marlene's smile widened. "…is that we'll leave your wand in your room for now. The part of your brain that casts spells is a bit underdeveloped. We'll have to work on that before you can use a wand."

"I have thoughts in my head." That was a phrase she used a lot. Remus thought that was her version of stupid. Marlene thought it was her version of saying there was nothing wrong with her. How many times had she heard mentally disabled or developmentally delayed when people whispered about her?

"I know." Marlene chewed on her quill. "So what do you say, Harry? We'll start tomorrow."

The little cogs started turning in Harriet's head. She was connecting it to whatever was bothering her, meaning Severus. Marlene wondered if she was plotting revenge. Sirius would be happy, she supposed.

"I want to control the fire," she said before turning to the sun and closing her eyes. Sirius would be really happy…

 **Thanks for the reviews Sindhuja, Child of Dreams, Ranma-sama,** **A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess, and Extended Experience!**

 **Extended Experience- I'm working on it in my head! Although I worry you might say that here too…**

 **Child of Dreams: When he finds out! ;)**

 **What do you guys think of Marlene? And anyone ship Harriet x Ron? XD**


	8. Connections

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 8 Connections

Severus should've known that Harriet was involved when Poppy asked for a salve to heal third degree burns. Her right hand was black and oozing, and Severus didn't even realize until it was too late that he ran over to her bedside in a panic.

"What happened?" he demanded, jumping when he realized that he and Black had spoken the same thing at the same time.

Black glared at him. "What are you doing here?"

Harriet was staring at him, biting back a smile. Severus looked away. He should've sent a student to deliver it. He slammed the glass jar on the table.

"Sorry." This woman looked familiar. McCain? No. Her name was McKinnon. Marlene McKinnon, the bleach blonde bimbo who used to slobber all over Black when they were in school. "We were practicing magic—"

"Funny, I don't see her wand anywhere," Severus said lightly.

Lupin put his hand on Black's shoulder when he growled. "Thank you, Severus."

That was the pathetic fool's nice way of dismissing him. Well he wasn't some sort of servant!

"Did you use unicorn tears?" Harriet said happily, as if they were all meeting for tea. She tried to open the jar with her good hand until Severus snatched the jar up and opened it for her. "…Thanks."

The emotions in her eyes were telling him what she wanted to say during their last encounter but couldn't put into words. He hurt her, but… for some reason, she couldn't let him go. Her fingers brushed his when she took the jar, but the touch was so quick that no one else noticed. Severus turned to leave, causing her to shoot out her hand like a viper and grab him.

Her eyes were still boring into his as she squeezed his wrist, begging him to say something. Luckily, Black had the uncanny ability to ruin any moment. Harriet shrieked when the dog karate chopped his arm.

"What the hell is going on?" he yelled. As much as Severus hated the man, he couldn't blame him. Often, he asked the same question himself. Up until this point, he considered Harriet out of his life, but… the dreams didn't stop. In fact, they were becoming less sexual and more _domesticated_. They were brewing potions, living together, and… having children. Severus hadn't had a good night's sleep in weeks.

"Nothing," Severus spat as Harriet's look turned to one of concern.

"It doesn't look like nothing!" Black practically screamed.

"Severus told Harry that they couldn't be together weeks ago." Good to know somethings never changed. McKinnon clearly hadn't gained any brain cells in the past twenty years. Black and Lupin didn't know about this, giving away that that particular conversation was alone with Harriet.

"WHAT?!"

McKinnon blinked. "What do you mean what, Sirius? What would you have wanted him to say?"

"When was this?" Black demanded. Severus took this as his cue to leave as he and McKinnon started bickering about whether Harriet should be alone or not. Harriet was innocently applying the salve and wasn't bothered in the slightest, making Lupin suspicious and Severus realize that that night, he didn't actually tell Harriet that they couldn't be together. He had tried to break her heart instead. Yes… It was definitely his cue to leave.

* * *

"I am a registered healer at St. Mungo's!" Marlene barked. Scary. That was one way Sirius could describe how she aged. She became scary. "My reports should be enough!"

Not scary enough for Umbridge, unfortunately. She gave her best shark tooth smile. "I simply want to see how her education is going. She really should be hospitalized. I question Mr. Black's… _ability_ to take care of her."

That did not sit with Marlene well. How was Umbridge not scared by the look she was getting? "Are you questioning my colleague who interviewed him? Who wrote multiple textbooks and—"

"Not at all," Umbridge said sweetly. "This is simply a special case. It is the Ministry's duty to make sure she is progressing. Is she aware that Christmas is coming up? Many of her fans are sending her gifts."

"We'll talk to her." Sirius felt his heart sink at the word Christmas. When he mentioned it the other day, she looked at him blankly. It was their second together. He wanted to get her a broom…

"There she is!" Umbridge clapped her hands together, making Sirius jump back into reality. "Harry!"

"Princess Harriet," she corrected coldly, making Marlene swear under her breath.

Umbridge grinned and held out her arm to guide her into another room. "Yes. Let's talk about that, and a few other things."

Harriet sent a glare at Remus, who glared right back at her, before going into the room. Marlene grabbed her by her shoulders and spun her around. "Harry, there's absolutely _nothing_ wrong with you, okay?"

To Sirius's disbelief, Harriet softened and nodded. She walked into the empty room next to Albus's office without a fight, even when Umbridge put a fat arm around her shoulders.

"That was bizarre," Remus mumbled as they walked into the adjacent room, which Albus called his private study. They were going to transfigure one of the walls into a one-way mirror. "She doesn't like Umbridge—"

"Who does?" Sirius couldn't resist saying.

Remus shrugged. "It was like the day we pulled her out of the Forest. She started complaining about Civilization and how barbaric we are. Oh, and she called me the Devourer of Humans when I said she had to go."

"She's scared, Remus," Marlene said softly, totally different from the she-devil who had her claws out for Umbridge earlier. "So she's regressing. Don't take it personally."

"So this is going to go well?" Sirius asked sarcastically before waving his wand over the wall. They were using the conference room, making him feel like Harriet was being interrogated. He just wanted this to end. Unfortunately, Rita Skeeter was pumping out fake stories daily. This morning she published a story about Snape and Harriet kissing in Godric's Hollow.

"Where would you rather live?" Umbridge probed with a giggle. "In a home, or outside in your cave?"

"That has nothing to do with her education," Remus hissed.

Harriet glared into Umbridge's eyes, like an animal trying to challenge another. "Outside."

"And why is that?" Umbridge simpered as she started writing notes quickly. "It is awfully cold, sweetheart. Living outside isn't actually rational."

Harriet said the one thing that had been bugging Sirius, the real reason he didn't push for her to move into Grimmauld. "I would feel free."

She felt like a prisoner. He, who lived through Azkaban, was holding his goddaughter in what she felt was a prison. He put his hand over his mouth, trying not to panic when Marlene put her hand over his shoulder.

"She doesn't mean it like that," she soothed.

"Yes she does," Sirius whispered, not even wanting to imply it out loud.

"Hey." Marlene put his chin in her hands to force him to look at her. "What she has the Forbidden Forest is a connection. She needs connections here too. She does with me with the magic and her reading with Remus. She just needs something with you."

"Right." Sirius turned away to watch Umbridge try to get her to read something. She recognized her name and most of the alphabet. Besides a few random, short words, that was about it. However, for less than two months, Sirius thought that was more than enough progress.

"This is ridiculous," Remus growled.

"I…" Harriet trailed off. Sirius leaned closer to see what it said. _I can read._ "Sssssa… I mean, c-ca…"

"How often do you have school, Harriet?" Umbridge asked, trying her best to sound disappointed and not giggly.

It had been less than two months! And Harriet wasn't used to sitting in a classroom! They _couldn't_ teach for hours.

"Can," Harriet finally said. Remus smiled when she looked rather proud of herself. Umbridge snatched the parchment away. "I wasn't done."

The point of that was to humiliate her, not to see if she could do it. "I asked you a question," Umbridge snapped. "How often do you have school, Harriet?"

Harriet frowned and started teetering in her chair. She didn't answer until she got up and started walking around. "Every day."

"How long?" Umbridge prompted. "And we aren't done. Sit down, Harriet"

Harriet looked at her blankly. "… Until lunch."

"How many minutes are in an hour, Harriet?" Umbridge demanded. "Do you have any concept of time?" She pointed at the clock. "What time is it now?"

Harriet stared at the clock, squinting as she watched the second hand tick by. It never occurred to Sirius that she wouldn't know how to tell time. "Seconds are short. Minutes are longer. Hours are the longest. There are a lot in a day."

"That wasn't what I asked."

 _I'll be a second! I'll be done in a few minutes! The sun will rise in a few hours._ Those must be her only connections to time. Sirius felt horrible when she turned red and said nothing.

Umbridge scribbled down a few more notes before speaking. "Harriet, I think you'll be happier in another place. A place that is equipped to help people like you. Because right now, you are not functioning like someone your age should. Would you agree?"

"I have thoughts in my head," she said flatly. Sirius felt like he heard that at least a dozen times a day, if not more.

"The thoughts of a five year old." Umbridge grinned. "Can you write your name, Harriet?"

She could, very sloppily, but she still could. Unfortunately, Sirius had a feeling that she wasn't going to. He certainly wouldn't. But Umbridge would only see that as her having a tantrum, like a five year old.

"Can you write yours?" she asked rudely. Sirius couldn't help but snicker. Remus groaned.

In Umbridge's eyes, she had already won and scooped up her parchment. "Well, I think we're done here, Harriet. I'll have a word with your godfather and see what we can do for you."

Harriet didn't follow her at first, but Umbridge was too happy to care. When she did emerge, Remus grabbed the hood of her jacket to keep from storming off.

"I think it is clear what has to happen here," Umbridge said firmly.

"I think it is clear that you aren't a social worker or a mind healer," Marlene snapped. "Your questions have no pattern, come from no psychological tests. You aren't comparing progress. You're comparing her to someone her age, who has been reading for at least ten years, if not more."

"So you think she can live on her own?" Umbridge asked lightly, knowing the answer was no.

"She can live with her family." Marlene glared at her, a look that even scared Sirius. "Like a lot of seventeen year olds. And even if she was forty, I wouldn't say she needed to be _put away._ I want to talk to the Minister. Because clearly you don't know what you're doing."

Umbridge said the one thing that threw Marlene off. "Harriet is not your daughter, Healer McKinnon."

Sirius finally managed to find his voice. If Marlene wasn't scared of Harriet being taken away, he wasn't either. "She's mine. Meaning I know what's best for her."

"Do you though?" Umbridge prompted.

He wasn't the only one who found his voice. Regression was Harriet's worst enemy. " _I_ am an adult. _And_ I will be Queen of the Forest one day. I have survived when the King had sicknesses of the mind. There is no need to say I am indisposed of."

Her head was held high, having no idea how insane she sounded. Umbridge smiled and wrote a few things on her clipboard. Sirius didn't even know how to deny the part about _delusions of grandeur._ They were real to her, but weren't they real for anyone who had them?

"Yes. Yes, of course." Umbridge patted Harriet's shoulder, not caring when she ripped it away.

Harriet knew as soon as the toad triumphantly walked away that she had made things worse for herself. Sirius felt terrible because in a way, she was just being herself. She saw his pity and took her anger and embarrassment at being considered an invalid out on him. "I don't need you."

* * *

"I was the hospital," Sirius said as he took Harriet to the room the art club used on the weekends. "Did you know? The same place Umbridge wants you to go to."

Harriet folded her arms to her chest and stopped walking. "I'm not leaving."

"I never said you were." Sirius frowned. He didn't know how to explain anything to her. The little baby who liked to fall asleep on his chest was still in there… somewhere. "I know you don't belong there. But I did."

Harriet still didn't move, but some of the anger left her eyes. She was more stubborn than Lily…

Sirius sighed and tried to remind himself of what Marlene said about connections. "I missed you terribly and…" He knocked on the top of his skull. "It got to me. Anyway, when I was there, I painted a lot. I figured that was something we could do together."

Finally, Harriet slowly walked over to the easel he was awkwardly gesturing to. She ran her fingers over the canvas and suddenly looked rather sad. "Art is for winter. 'Cause it's too cold to play outside."

Remus said that there were paintings of Peter's and Harriet's adventures all over their cave wall. Sirius still couldn't bring himself to go. It wasn't far, which in Sirius's opinion was worse. He was so close to her for all this time, and he had no idea.

"Did you like doing that?" Sirius forced himself to ask. "With him?"

The smile on her face was almost unbearable. She missed Peter. Her face quickly fell. "I was happy. Before he got sick."

"I know," Sirius said thickly. There was an implied that she wasn't happy now. She wasn't happy with him and Remus.

She picked up a large pencil and started to sketch. "I'm not stupid," she whispered.

"I know," Sirius repeated. He started to draw too, although he had no idea what. Mostly swirls. He didn't want Harriet to know how upset he was.

She drew a hand, which was obviously burned, and Sirius thought it was referring to the other day. But there was a lily next to it, tilted and putting seeds into the palm.

"It's getting late," Sirius said, speaking for the first time in hours.

Harriet paused and turned away from the canvas. "The paints are better in our cave. I made them because it was starting to get cold."

She was inviting him in. Sirius bit his lip. A big part of him wanted to say that they were never going there again, that she wasn't allowed. _I would feel free._ They had a tracker on her, said she couldn't go outside unless she _earned_ it. He couldn't do that to her anymore.

"Do you want to go get them?" he asked hoarsely.

Harriet grinned. He had never seen her face light up like that. "You can see my first picture! Daddy insists that it was just a blob, but it was a mouse like me! I know it!"

Sirius did his best to smile back, focus on how happy she was. Unfortunately, the terrible thought wouldn't stop gnawing at his brain. All her best memories were with Peter.

* * *

"I have a deadline to a task I refuse to act upon." Severus frowned as he watched Harriet and Black run in the snow from Albus's office. They were like tiny specks, but somehow, he could still tell that Harriet was the happiest he ever saw her. She was running for the Forbidden Forest, and Black changed into a dog to keep up.

Albus chuckled as if it were funny. "You will have to show Tom how much trouble Harriet has gotten you into. Then, perhaps, he'll give you an extension."

"I don't need an extension," Severus growled. "I need to get out of it."

Albus walked to the window next to him. "There is nothing wrong with being happy, Severus."

"Excuse me?" There was nothing else to say to that. Albus couldn't possibly—

"Harriet's an adult." He shrugged as if that were all there was to say in the matter. Legally, yes, but he was closer to forty than not! She was still a teenager. "I don't mean to pry but…"

"But you will," Severus spat.

"But if she wasn't Lily's daughter," Albus asked, "would you be so hesitant?"

She was seventeen years old! Severus watched her disappear into the woods. Would he care if she was Potter's and another woman's child? Some of his students were older than her, and he rightfully saw them as the immature, sniveling infants that they were. But Harriet…

"She's a child." There was nothing else he could say.

"She thinks differently." Albus walked beside him to stare out the window as well. "You, Severus, have taught me that that doesn't necessarily mean she isn't functioning as an adult. She can't do what we call adult things, but there are many things she can do that we can't. Who was I to say she isn't a functioning adult because she can't read or—?"

"What has changed your mind?" Severus turned to face him. Albus wasn't involved in Harriet's education or anything really, anything that did not have to do with Voldemort. "You want her to fight the Dark Lord, don't you?"

"She is capable." Albus kept his eyes on the darkening sky out the window. "You—"

"I said she's intelligent!" Severus roared. "Not capable of fighting one of the most powerful wizards of all time! First years are more adept at wand work than she is! She is going to…"

Albus believed Harriet was a horcrux. Weasley destroyed the diary while saving his sister five years ago. The diadem was recovered from Lovegood after she found it in the Room of Requirement and "felt funny" while wearing it. Slytherin's locket was found when Black was destroying his mother's home and installing electrical wiring in it. According to Albus, there were four left, including Harriet.

Severus tried to hide his disgust and horror. "I thought you believed the Dark Lord was wrong, that Longbottom is the child of the prophecy."

"The two of you could fight Tom together." Albus neither confirmed or denied that he was setting Harriet up to die. "There are three—"

"You mean four." The Dark Lord wouldn't have stopped at six. Black and Lupin may believe that he would, but Severus knew better.

"Removing it won't kill her."

"It killed Quirrell. And you are very willing to take that risk." Severus closed his eyes as he felt the burning on his arm, telling him to leave immediately. He and Harriet could very well die together. Did Albus think it was romantic?

* * *

Lupin explained Christmas to her. Daddy said that Civilization expressed love to one another by giving each other material things. Love wasn't enough for them.

Harriet squeezed her eyes shut. Black gave her a soft dog doll called a stuffed animal, and she gave him some of her paints. It wasn't for a celebration, and it made Harriet feel good. Was she becoming greedy like Civilization? Was she becoming one of _them?_

"You won't be seeing Umbridge for a while," Ms. Marlene whispered as they set to making Lupin's present. He was ill, so there wasn't much schooling today. Harriet was showing her how to make a potion so his bones wouldn't hurt so much.

"I'm going to make you a potion too," Harriet mumbled. "Because Black says your throat must hurt from yelling so much."

"I don't yell!" Ms. Marlene yelled. Her face flushed when Harriet smiled. "What about Sirius? What do you plan to give him for Christmas?"

Harriet didn't know. Paints? But she already gave him those… "Does he eat meat like wolves? I guess I could get him a rabbit…"

"He's not…" Ms. Marlene bit back a smile. Harriet glared at her. "I have an idea, actually. There's a place where we could buy a gift for Sirius. We could look around, and I could teach you about money while we're waiting for Remus to get better."

She wanted her to leave the Forest. The last time they did, they made Harriet _live_ somewhere else. She narrowed her eyes and put hippogriff feathers in the potion she was making. Now, she had to let it sit for two hours. "I want to practice magic."

"Don't change the subject, Harry," Ms. Marlene said softly. "Don't you want to experience the rest of the world?"

"No." There was no reason. She had everything she wanted except Daddy, who she knew Ms. Marlene wouldn't take her to. And Harriet wasn't sure if she wanted the _real_ him. If it wasn't for the Great Snake, she wasn't sure what he would be like.

"You aren't curious at all?" Ms. Marlene pressed. That wasn't going to work this time. "Because I can show lots of things Sirius might like."

"What are _you_ going to get him?" Harriet asked, getting sickly satisfied when she blushed. Ms. Marlene wanted to mate with Black.

"I don't know," she said slyly after she recovered. "Perhaps you can help me."

She wasn't that _stupid_. "I'll get him a rabbit. And I'll show him how to make him a cap."

"He won't like that," Ms. Marlene said firmly. "That's something you would want, Harriet."

"I don't like to kill animals," she said hotly. "The God of Life blessed me, so I no longer have to."

"You mean you were given the option to be a vegetarian." Ms. Marlene raised her eyebrows, causing Harriet to look away. "I promise that if you go into at least one store with me, we can leave."

They believed in a god, just not her god. The fact that they denied the God of Life angered Harriet. They acted like He wasn't real. Civilization simply took life for granted and looked down on her for not doing so as well.

Fine. If Ms. Marlene wanted to try to trick her, she would just have to trick Ms. Marlene. Harriet pretended to consider. She had lied to Ms. Marlene by saying the magic she wanted to learn was the fire magic. If Ms. Marlene knew what she really wanted, she might figure out her plan, _but_ if Ms. Marlene thought this was something spontaneous, she would think nothing of it, happy to have tricked Harriet into going to another wretched part of Civilization.

"I'll go, if you teach me how to turn into a mouse."

Ms. Marlene narrowed her eyes. "We aren't nearly done with our current lessons. I want you to be able to use a wand by summer, Harry."

"It hurts my hands." That was something Black would fall for. Harriet wasn't sure if Ms. Marlene would. Her hands looked a little less crisp yesterday after nearly two weeks of practice. _And_ they could always instantly heal her hands with Severus's salve. _And_ she never cried once. They didn't understand that crying was for babies.

But Harriet remembered what that Umbridge woman said that upset Ms. Marlene. _Harriet is not your daughter, Healer McKinnon._ She started chewing on her bottom lip. "It wouldn't hurt to have a bit of variety in our lessons. But you aren't an animagus like Sirius and… Anyway, a friend of ours, Bill, said it's a charm. A charm that's been placed on you for so long, that it's imbedded in your magical core."

"So I can't do it," Harriet said flatly, trying to hide her disappointment. What was she going to do if she couldn't? Then, she had no idea how to save Severus and Daddy.

Ms. Marlene gave her a small smile. "I didn't say that. You are very in tune with your magic, Harriet, which is why I think you have such difficulties with your wand." Harriet stared, not sure what to say about that. Would she be able to learn or not? "We'll give it a shot, Harry, but I can't make any promises."

Harriet lit up, but again, didn't want Ms. Marlene to get suspicious. "Neither can I," she said casually, "but I guess I'll go to the place with you tomorrow."

Ms. Marlene threw her head back and laughed.

* * *

"Absolutely not!" Sirius yelled the moment Marlene told him of her plan to take Harriet to Diagon Alley _without_ him.

"She wanted to get you a dead rabbit for Christmas," Marlene complained. "And I want her to see that the real world isn't so bad. I can't back out of this now. It'll only reinforce her fears."

"She could give me a dead gnome for Christmas, and I'd love it," Sirius snapped. "She's my goddaughter. You should have asked me, Marlene."

"I'll wait until Remus gets better," Marlene offered. Sirius noticed that she deflated a little at the reminder that she was hired to help Harriet. Otherwise, they wouldn't really have any connection. "Or I could bring some Order members. It would be nice for her to start meeting new people."

Now Sirius felt bad. She was so excited to do something for _him_. Should he get her something for Christmas? Remus jokingly suggested a week off with pay, but Sirius had considered it. Now he was wondering if that kind gift would crush her. She already loved Harriet.

"Bring some Order members," Sirius mumbled. "And have her keep her hood up. Skeeter's been up Remus's arse ever since this all started."

When Marlene startled him with a hug, Sirius made a very unsexy choking noise. She must really love Harriet.

"We'll be back before you know it," she gushed. At his raised eyebrows, her face colored a little. "This will be good for her, Sirius. You'll see."

* * *

Tonks was more than a little nervous about going Christmas shopping with Harriet and Marlene. Harriet knew she was suspicious of her, and at the sight of her, she turned away. She hadn't brought Teddy, obviously.

"I'm sorry," she tried to say. "I'm just worried about my baby is all…"

Harriet glared at her and said nothing, squirming a little when Marlene tutted in disapproval. She still didn't speak, however, making Tonks uncomfortable. She wondered if she deserved it, or if her fears were perfectly rational.

"How about," Marlene tried, "we get a gift for Teddy, Harry."

"How can I get a gift for someone I never met?" Harriet said darkly. Damn it… "They're supposed to express how you feel about them."

"Well, how do you feel about Teddy?" Marlene prompted.

Harriet gave her an incredulous look. "How can I know if I've never met him? I don't even know what babies _look_ like. Daddy says their fat and squishy and cry because they can't do anything. That is why crying is for babies. If you can do things, you have no reason to cry."

Okay… Perhaps she should make a peace offering… "He likes hats…"

No luck. Harriet only scowled. "Ms. Marlene says a rabbit isn't a good gift."

Marlene plastered a fake smile on her. "Well, we can look around and see what we like."

"It's not about what you like," Harriet mimicked.

Maybe she shouldn't have come…

* * *

Harriet's childish pouting stopped as soon as they apparated to Diagon Alley. Her eyes widened in horror at the sight of all the people. She was used to the Hogwarts student body. Most, usually all, gave her a wide berth, especially after the fire. Diagon Alley was much smaller and cramped, more packed with people.

"Do you want ear plugs?" Marlene asked soothingly. They avoided the bells at Hogwarts too, meaning they avoided the noise.

"I'm going back." Harriet turned around, to where Marlene didn't know, and tried to make a run for it. She screamed when Marlene pulled her into a hug, drawing more attention to herself. People started to whisper.

"If you run now," Marlene whispered, "it'll only be harder for you." She was rewarded with an elbow to the ribs. "Harriet!"

She had dealt with patients twice her size, so her struggling and screaming only earned her more stares from the onlookers. After a few minutes, she stopped struggling becoming as rigid as a board until Marlene loosened her grip a little.

"We're going to go in," Marlene said softly, "and then, when we come back another day, it won't be so scary anymore, okay?"

Harriet nodded, albeit very reluctantly. She must really want to be able to turn into a mouse. Marlene wondered why, but with her tracker, wasn't very concerned. Clearly, she had no desire to leave Hogwarts or the Forbidden Forest.

When Marlene heard the popping noise of apparition and the swoosh of Order members taking off their Disillusionment Charms, she didn't think of the danger they were in or how frantic Sirius was going to be. She thought about how traumatized Harriet was going to be from her first time in the real world.

Maybe she shouldn't have been because Harriet ran for the one Death Eater who wasn't wearing a mask. "Daddy!"

 **Thank you for the reviews A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess, Child of Dreams, and Ranma-sama!**

 **A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess: You know what's weird? I hardly ever get the email alerts for your reviews… Anyway, you might end up ignoring half the story, but I get it, so just read the parts you like. :) Marlene McKinnon went to school with the Marauders. In the real books, she died shortly before Lily and James. In fanfiction, she's often shipped with Sirius.**

 **Child of Dreams: How else will have to hold back Sirius?**

 **Poor Marlene! Happy Mother's Day!**

 **Any ideas about Harriet's mouse plan? Next chapter will start with Wormtail's point of view!**


	9. Loss of Control

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 9 Loss of Control

Peter wasn't stupid. He feared for Harriet's life if the Dark Lord were to have her. Would his master keep his promise for Peter's loyalty? Or would Harriet be dead as soon as she was presented to him?

They were meant to serve as a distraction while some of the other Death Eaters were breaking into Bellatrix's Gringotts vault. The Dark Lord wanted something from there, but only the Death Eaters retrieving it were allowed to know. Then, their memories would be wiped. Peter thought he would kill a few civilians, and that they would disappear into the shadows again.

But then Harriet's screams filled his ears before he could so much as lift his wand. In an attempt to catch her, Lucius Malfoy knocked off his mask. Harriet shook off a blonde woman who was hugging her and started running straight for him.

"DADDY!"

This wasn't meant to happen yet. Because of Severus, he couldn't convince the Dark Lord that Harriet was harmless, an empty headed puppet. He needed more time!

He was stronger than he used to be. Harriet's presence included Order Members, so no one was watching him too closely besides the blonde woman she was with. The woman was charging towards her, but Harriet was too fast. Peter punched her in the face so hard that she was unconscious before she hit the ground.

 _"Stupefy!"_

Peter dodged the charm and cast a Torture Curse for her to avoid. He had to look busy. No. He had to _be_ busy. Then he wouldn't have to think about what he had just done. He was betraying the Dark Lord.

* * *

Harriet's head was throbbing. Was she sick? No… She was going to the place with the things called shops. Diagon Alley. And then…

"It's okay. You're okay, Harriet…" Ms. Marlene must've heard her gasp. Harriet felt the pressure of her sitting near her head, followed by the nice feeling of her running her fingers through her hair. "Everyone is safe…"

Ms. Marlene didn't sound too sure of herself. Harriet was still too afraid to open her eyes. Now Lupin's wife was really going to think she was evil. But she had to save Daddy. The Great Snake was infecting him with his evil, just like he was to Severus.

The sound of something crying made her open her eyes. Lupin was holding a tiny person and bouncing on his hip. Daddy was right about babies. He was crying so much that his face was turning red, but Lupin didn't seem to mind much and kissed the baby's cheek instead of admonishing him. His look of concern was for Harriet.

"Sirius is having a proper fit upstairs." Lupin smiled weakly and softly shushed the baby. "He's eight months old. Can you believe he was born much smaller?"

Harriet knew that. She scowled as Ms. Marlene helped her to a sitting position, despite her dizziness. People of Civilization thought they knew everything while she knew nothing. "They have to, so they can fit out your privates."

Ms. Marlene stifled a giggle while Lupin tensed. "He's trying to be nice, Harry."

"We're going to stay here for a few days," Lupin said as a blush crept up his neck and to his cheeks. "I hope you don't mind."

So that was where Black was. Lupin's wife didn't want her here, so they were arguing. Harriet just wanted to go home. She knew nothing about this place, including how to get outside.

Lupin sat next to her, so Harriet drew her knees to her chest. The baby stopped crying to inspect her hair. Harriet ignored him when he gave it a yank. Nymphadora thought she was evil and would hurt her baby.

"His name is Teddy," Lupin went on. Harriet looked straight ahead. "But you knew that, right?"

"I want to go home." There was nothing else she could say. She should have known better than agreeing to go "Christmas" shopping. She shouldn't have gone without knowing how to get back on her own. There wasn't a single window in sight. She was trapped.

* * *

"She is staying here," Sirius said for the thousandth time through clenched teeth. There was nothing wrong with Harry!

"She ran straight for him!" Tonks yelled. She would always be Tonks to him. "He's known her for seventeen years. We've known her for a few months! Who do you think she's going to listen to? Even if she wasn't raised to follow Voldemort, she was raised to follow _him._ "

There was a difference between Harriet and every brainwashed Death Eater. Sirius didn't understand why Tonks couldn't see that. "She has a heart. She knows love and—"

"Love for him," Tonks said bitterly. "He's her _dad_ , Sirius."

"Don't say that," Sirius roared. How could she do that to James? "DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT!"

"To her it's the truth!" Tonks screamed. "She was ripped away from everything she loved! And she is smart, Sirius. Marlene said she is so smart that she doesn't even know what is going on in her head half the time. I'm not taking that kind of risk with my baby!"

"Then leave," Sirius snapped. He was being stubborn. Sure, he loved Teddy like his own, but he knew Harriet and that knew she would never purposely hurt anyone. He also knew this was going to crush her and set her back.

Tonks laughed humorlessly and shook her head. "Fine."

* * *

"We're leaving."

Harriet stared straight ahead as Nymphadora took the baby from Lupin's arms. He didn't let go of her hair and started pulling when Nymphadora tried to walk away. Harriet acted like she didn't notice.

"Dora…" Lupin was stuck, always seeing both sides to every argument. "I don't… I don't like leaving Sirius alone."

"Our son or Sirius?" Nymphadora growled. "Who is more important to you?"

Lupin instantly rose from his seat, but they quietly argued as they headed for the stairs. The baby kicked his feet in his mother's arms and reached for Harriet. Ms. Marlene bit her lip. "There might be a taste in your mouth from a potion to heal your concussion."

Black rushed down the stairs and plastered a fake smile on his face, the kind of smile Daddy had when she brought home fish for dinner for the third night in a row. "How are you feeling, Harry? You gave me quite the fright!"

Harriet didn't care about Nymphadora or her baby. "I want to go outside."

The fake smile widened. "We can play in the snow!"

 _You can play in the snow,_ Harriet thought. _**I'm**_ _finding a way home._

* * *

"Is she going to be okay?" Sirius asked worriedly. Marlene only laughed. "She's burning up!"

"You let her dig through the foot of snow and try to tunnel her away out of the backyard!" Marlene could only imagine what the neighbors would think if they could see.

"I thought she was playing." Sirius was pouting like, well, a kicked puppy. "She's always plotting something!"

Marlene wiped some of the sweat from Harriet's brow. They were in a pink room that she had a feeling Sirius set up for her years ago. "Well, she _is_ a Marauder's daughter, and I don't think she's going to be plotting any time soon."

"Should we take her to the hospital?" Sirius started biting his nails as a red faced Harriet tried to sleep. She moaned and turned her head away.

"No." Marlene conjured a thermometer. "We'll just keep an eye on her. C'mon. We'll get her a fever reducer."

Sirius grumbled about it being a one man job but followed anyway. The reason made Marlene feel like the temperature suddenly shot up a hundred degrees. "I want you to stay." He scratched the back of his head. "At least… until Remus and Tonks come back."

Marlene froze in the middle of the steps, nearly leading to Sirius crashing into her. Sirius wanted her to move in… sort of. She laughed nervously and forced herself to walk. "You know… Back when we were kids, I thought this would be us."

"Taking care of my feverish goddaughter who has practically speaks her own language and fancies Snape?" Sirius asked lightly.

"No." Even though her back was to Sirius, Marlene tried to force herself to smile. Her legs felt like lead as she took a few clumsy steps down. "Taking care of our children. You fretting while I try to get you to calm down."

Sirius silently followed her down to the cellar, where they kept the potions. Marlene wondered if he felt awkward or was now thinking along the same lines. She shouldn't have brought it up.

"I'm sorry I cheated on you."

Marlene nearly dropped the fever reducer and spun around to see Sirius with his adorable, would make any woman swoon, puppy dog eyes. Before she knew it, she was babbling a mile a minute. "No! No!" She waved her hands back and forth in surrender until she noticed she was swishing of the potion. "I mean… We were kids and…"

Sirius shrugged and took the potion from her. "I didn't want to take anything seriously. And I didn't realize that meant missing out on the good along with the bad."

Marlene laughed breathlessly. Actually, it sounded more like a nervous exhale. There was nothing funny about what she just did, which was ruin everything. "I'm sorry. I just… I love her and got caught up in the moment. It won't happen again."

She felt Sirius's eyes on her as she brushed past him. What had she done?

* * *

"Are you going to take me to the unicorns?" Harriet asked feverishly. Maybe not feverishly, Sirius thought, considering where she grew up. "Severus knows about the unicorns…"

Definitely feverish then. Snape and unicorns? They'd probably shrivel up and die if they were twenty feet away from the grease ball.

"No." Sirius poured her a glass of water to wash down the fever reducer with. Her usually fierce eyes looked dull as he handed her the potion. "Where were you trying to go, Harry? We're in London. Have you ever heard of it?"

"Mummy took me to the unicorns when I was a baby," she mumbled as her eyes started to droop. "Because the Great Snake burned my head."

"Let her sleep," Marlene whispered. Sirius tried to focus on Harriet. What would they have had if he wasn't such a prat?

* * *

It had been two days, and Severus was going mad. He knew what happened. Pettigrew was still being tortured over it, but he didn't know what happened to Harriet afterwards. No one thought he had the right to know.

Well, Albus did, but he wanted him to ask, and Severus was tired of mind games, especially since he was playing one with himself. There was no reason for him to care about that little imp.

… But she could be in a coma for all he knew, or worse. What if the punch in the head _did_ harm her brain, and Black and Lupin were none the wiser because they thought something was always wrong with her? What if she needed help all along, and no one noticed?

That was preposterous.

"Weasley! Detention!" Severus snapped. Anything to get his mind off of Harriet.

"But—" Weasley had simply been walking through the halls with Granger. No matter. The two of them, along with Longbottom were always up to something.

"Five points from Gryffindor. Do you want to make it a double?" They made it too easy. He already forgotten about Harriet.

* * *

Tonks felt bad. She couldn't help it. Trouble followed Harriet like bees on honey, and when it came to Teddy, she became a fierce mama bear. She wanted to apologize, but at the same time, she didn't. She didn't know Harriet, and with Teddy, it was always better safe than sorry.

Now Sirius wasn't talking to them and wouldn't let Remus come over either. As much as Harriet drove him nuts, Tonks knew Remus saw her as a surrogate daughter. His moping about the Burrow was proof enough, especially when he walked past a finger painting of Harriet's, which Mrs. Weasley kept in the kitchen for some reason. It was actually pretty good. A unicorn stared at her intently.

"Alright I'll go," Tonks muttered as she sipped her coffee. Sirius was really going to chew her out.

"What?" Sirius snapped. Damn. She was naively hoping he'd be off with his motorbike or something, even though it hadn't been touched since Harriet had been found. "The baby's sick. Leave."

That was what particularly worried Remus. Sirius was too stuck in the past at times. He worried that there were moments when he really thought Harriet was a baby.

"She's seventeen," Tonks said slowly. Sirius rolled his eyes. She thought Sirius was simply so used to thinking of Harriet as a baby that it was hard for him to not call her one, especially given her current state. "Is it her head?"

"No." Marlene grinned. Was she wearing her night gown? Tonks hoped it didn't mean that she spent the night… with Sirius. "She tried to dig her way back to Hogwarts while Sirius making a snowman."

"She didn't know what one was!" Sirius yelled indignantly. Then, he softened and looked up the stairs. "Go back to bed, Harry. We'll bring you breakfast."

Tonks felt her heart sink as Harriet's eyes landed on her. As soon as she was caught, Harriet looked away. "No. I recover quickly because the God of Life doesn't want me to be sick long. I want to learn magic today."

Marlene smirked, and whined, "But Lily! The test isn't until next week!"

The humor was lost on her, causing Harriet to look at her blankly and the smile to fade from Sirius's face as soon as it came. Marlene didn't mind and simply explained to her that she was acting like her mother. Harriet still didn't get it. "What's a test?"

"I'm surprised Remus hasn't given you many of those." Tonks tried to smile, but Harriet still wouldn't look at her. "Listen Harry—"

"Daddy says I test him when I climb high up in the trees," Harriet said as she sat down, completely ignoring Tonks. "And that I shouldn't because I'll break my neck."

Sirius soured further. "Let's have a lazy day, Harry. Tonks, I'm sure you have work."

He didn't tease her and call her Nymphy. Tonks took a deep breath. "I actually figured I'd take the day off. Harriet…" For a moment, she thought the girl was going to look at her, but her eye only flicked towards the plate of waffles before she stabbed at one with her fork to put on her own plate. "I figured that Remus…" She paused to awkwardly clear her throat. "… would be pleasantly surprised if you wrote everyone Christmas cards. I thought I could help you…"

Harriet narrowed her eyes, not at her but at the waffles. The poor girl probably had no idea what any of them were talking about. "I want to learn magic."

"You really should keep up with your writing, Harry." Marlene smiled slowly, not noticing the way Sirius was looking at her. Would he ever cross that boundary? And risk ruining Harriet's relationship with her healer? "And you were sick last night."

"I wasn't sick. I need…" Harriet frowned, deciding that she shouldn't continue her sentence. Tonks had a feeling it was about magic, and from the suspicious look in Marlene's eyes, she could tell her friend thought the same. "Fine."

* * *

"Well what are we going to do?" Marlene hissed. Sirius wanted to listen in, so Tonks pretended she didn't hear them arguing on the other side of Harriet's door. "Never speak to Remus or Tonks again? It's good for her to resolve her issues with people instead of ignoring them!"

"Tonks's hurt her feelings!" Sirius yell whispered.

"So?"

"So she should bloody apologize!"

"Then let her!"

Tonks smiled awkwardly. "You do see my point of view? Don't you?"

Harriet glared at her. "The Great Snake took everything from me."

That wasn't a no. Tonks glanced at the door as the whispering died down. "If you have children one day, Harry, you'll understand."

She knew that Sirius was still listening, and for a moment, Tonks saw James when she smiled evilly. "I don't think Severus wants children any time soon."

The whispered arguing started again, and Tonks was tempted to yell, _Get a room._ Then she heard Sirius whisper something about her only being here to get Remus off her back. Stupid dog. "We could make him a card, if you like."

Sirius started trying to rip open the door. Tonks magically locked it so he couldn't. Approval lit Harriet's features, making her almost seem like the typical seventeen year old girl eager to piss her father off. "What's a card?"

* * *

"Do you know your capital letters?" Tonks asked, wincing when Harriet paused and then continued to write "renus." Perhaps she should focus on the spelling… "Let's fix the 'm.' Shall we?"

Harriet looked at her blankly. "That is an 'm.'"

Tonks grinned and grabbed herself a scrap of parchment. "How about I write, you copy?"

"I know the symbols," Harriet grumbled, angry with her again. Tonks bit her tongue. _hapee chritmus renus lopin_ She had spelled each word as the girl wrote it too, but Remus said she had trouble concentrating and had just learned the alphabet. Maybe she should let it go…

"Right." Tonks handed her some crayons. "Have you ever thought of calling Remus and Sirius by their first names?"

"No." Harriet stared at the words she worked so hard to write. Tonks jumped when she growled and started tearing the parchment to shreds.

"Harry! Stop!" As if they were stones, Tonks flinched when Harriet threw the chunks of paper at her and tried her best to hold back tears. "What's the matter?" Nothing. "Is it me? Because know Remus is much more of a nitpicker."

Harriet glanced at the door. The other side of it had been quiet for a while. Tonks pointed her wand at the parchment pieces. Slowly, they resembled themselves. "I wasn't sick."

"Yes you were." Tonks laughed nervously. Sirius had sent Mrs. Weasley about five Patronuses last night.

She looked at the door again, waiting for Sirius to rip it open and start smothering her with nervous coddling. "The Great Snake…"

"You were having dreams again?" Tonks asked. _Come on Sirius… She hates me!_

Harriet wiped her eyes, and when she started talking about Pettigrew, Tonks wondered if she was lying. Parts of what she said were true. "He punched me… And I didn't want to hurt him. So I couldn't possibly defeat the Great Snake."

There was so much more to it than that. Tonks knew that much. She wanted to be able to fight and that was why she was bugging Marlene about magic this morning. But why? Did she want to protect herself? Or Pettigrew?

"Why are you telling me this?" Tonks asked cautiously. It could be because she was simply there, but maybe not. Marlene was right. Harriet was a lot more complicated than people gave her credit for.

Harriet thought. Again, Tonks wasn't sure if she was being lied to. She thought today she would learn to trust the girl. Now, she wasn't so sure. "You know I have thoughts in my head."

"So does Marlene," Tonks said quickly. "And everyone else."

"But you know I can do bad things," Harriet countered. "I have to kill the Great Snake."

That was her excuse. It was bad to take another life, and Harriet thought that Tonks thought that she was evil. She didn't know that killing Voldemort was far from evil. Tonks was just as confused as she was. The look on her face made it clear that Harriet didn't want to kill anyone, even Voldemort.

But there was someone else who had an idea of what she was going through. Someone who Dumbledore thought he had to take under his wing since Harriet's disappearance. "I think I can help you."

Harriet looked mildly interested. Was she upset from the dreams? Or was she satisfied because she finally proved something to Tonks? That she wanted to kill Voldemort. Tonks still didn't trust her.

* * *

Christmas. Tonks brought Teddy as a peace offering but refused to let him out of her sight. The Christmas cards actually brought tears to Remus's eyes, and now she knew why. Being a teacher to someone like Harriet was exhausting.

Harriet wasn't too excited. She didn't understand most of the gifts that Sirius showered her with. The only present she seemed interesting was a paint set. The math booklet from Remus made her look suspicious, like he was playing some kind of trick on her. Marlene bought her a white dress.

"Thank you…" Her eyes nervously followed the Firebolt Sirius bought her. It zipped so fast from one side of the room to the other that Teddy couldn't stop giggling. "I'm supposed to fly it?"

Tonks couldn't remember Sirius being so happy. He was positively glowing. "Yep! I can teach you in the backyard after breakfast."

"Flying is forbidden." Harriet glanced at Teddy, who was absolutely shrieking with laughter. "It makes you devilish like the pixies."

Sirius's face fell, but Marlene swooped in to save the day. She had a smile on her face that absolutely screamed rebellion. "But from what I hear, the pixies are some of your dearest friends, Harry."

Although she barely looked like him, the smile Harriet returned all James. Sirius's glow returned.

"She's still having dreams," Tonks whispered as Sirius tried to get a very skittish Harriet on the broom. "She told me."

Remus curled an arm around her waist. "I would imagine Peter is in a lot of trouble for letting her go… Thank you, for not saying anything in front of Sirius."

"Why would she tell me though? Of all people?" Tonks flinched when Harriet tried to jump off the broom and landed face first in the snow. Teddy laughed in Marlene's arms while Sirius rushed to her aid.

Often, Tonks wondered if Remus wanted to be the next Dumbledore. "Sometimes we seek approval from those who dislike us the most."

"I don't _dislike_ her," Tonks grumbled. "I just don't understand her."

"And she doesn't understand anyone." Remus sighed and kissed the top of her head. "If Peter was 'training' her, he wouldn't have left her at such a disadvantage, Dora. You saw the way she was looking at the numbers book. She thinks they're even more letters. She's totally lost—"

"You should have seen how she ran for him," Tonks said, feeling icky as she did. "She was so _excited._ "

"Because he's the one person who doesn't think anything is wrong with her." Pain filled Remus's expression. "And I fear that because of that, she thinks he's the only person who truly loves her."

Tonks never thought of it like that. And if there was a "plan," Harriet sure didn't look like she was following it. Every time she got near Peter, he hurt her terribly, not just physically. And every time she saw him, she still went running for him. Because she loved him and couldn't accept that he didn't love her.

"I'll let her see Teddy." Tonks took a deep breath. "As long as its supervised. Like this. One of us has to be there."

Remus pulled her into a hug and rested his chin on the top of her head. "That will mean a lot to her."

Tonks tried to shake off the feeling that she was being manipulated. Because she wasn't… not this time anyway.

* * *

"Tonks and her mother looked out for me." His name was Neville, and Harriet remembered him from her first day in Civilization. He was with Severus. "Out of guilt for something Tonks's aunt did…" Pain washed over his features, but he covered it up with an explanation. "An aunt is your mum or dad's sister."

"Nymphadora doesn't like me." This surprised Neville, making Harriet wonder if Nymphadora was usually nice and trusting. Did anyone really trust her? Harriet frowned as they walked to a space called a courtyard. She certainly didn't give them good reason to.

"That's… odd," was all he could say. "Anyway, do you remember that boy who called you that name not too long ago? The blonde one?"

"Sort of." Harriet remembered but didn't want to think about that day. The day that Severus made everyone laugh at her. She didn't care about the blonde boy. Something was clearly very wrong with him.

Neville nodded. "He used to pick on me. Because of how I look." Harriet furrowed her brow in confusion. He looked like any other person. "And because, like you, I wasn't too good with my wand."

Her wand. Harriet looked at it from time to time and pretended to make magic when she was particularly bored but that was it. She couldn't really make much more than sparks happen, even though the wand had _picked_ her.

"So Tonks taught me how to fight," he went on. "You have to be quicker than a wand if you can't use one. There're no rules when someone is trying to hurt you. You have to do anything you can to make them stop. Pull hair, throw rocks…"

He turned red, for some reason embarrassed. Harriet had fought before, just not with another person. "You mean like with the giant spiders?"

His lips quirked into a smile. "Exactly."

Without warning, he threw a punch, which Harriet dodged despite her surprise. She tried to hit him back, but hesitated. What if she hurt him? Nymphadora already thought she was evil.

"I don't want the first time you hit someone to be when you really have to," Neville said, but Harriet was still hesitant. She didn't _want_ to hurt anyone. Not even the giant spiders. "Most wizards can't fight. This could be an advantage if Voldemort ever comes after you."

Or if she comes after _him_. Harriet had a plan, and she thought it was obvious and was worried every day that Ms. Marlene would see right through her. Lying was wrong but… She had to save Daddy and Severus.

Harriet made to kick Neville, but again, she didn't want to hurt him and let her leg fly over his head without realizing what she was doing. Neville grabbed her leg.

"Don't be afraid to hit me." And with that, he twisted and sent her crashing to the ground.

"LONGBOTTOM!"

Harriet opened her eyes and saw Severus rushing towards them.

* * *

Weeks. Christmas vacation went by, and he hadn't heard a word about Harriet. Albus was infuriatingly smug, so it was safe to assume that Harriet was alive and well, terrorizing Black and Lupin while trapped in that nut house in London.

And then, low and behold, on the first day back in January, there was Harriet, doing some kind of odd dance with Longbottom. Severus wondered if she was his next victim. Weasley barely lasted an hour…

After a moment, Severus realized he was teaching her how to fight. He snorted, remembering the day Longbottom tackled Draco, and Lucius tried to have him expelled. Harriet could kick his arse into next week.

And… Harriet was on the ground. Severus felt his heart stop when her head slammed into the grass. She had just had a head injury…

"LONGBOTTOM!" Severus felt at least a dozen pairs of adolescent eyes on him, but he didn't care until Harriet opened her eyes. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Longbottom let go of her leg, and as usual when dealing with him, became a scared little first year again. "Sir—"

"Do you ever use that cobweb covered brain of yours, you buffoon?" Severus yelled as he pulled Harriet to her feet. She looked absolutely terrified and snatched her hand out of his. "I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing."

"Why—"

"Because you let that ape toss you around!" Severus yelled as he grabbed her again and dragged her out of the courtyard. "What were you thinking?"

Harriet tried to dig her feet into the ground. "Why were you being so mean?! He was trying to teach me how to fight!"

"By throwing you to the ground like a doll?" Severus asked sarcastically. She grabbed his wrist and yanked him in the opposite direction. Severus was ready to pick her up and carry her to the Hospital Wing. "You were knocked unconscious not long ago."

"Many days ago!" Harriet grunted as he pulled her along. "And he was trying to make sure it didn't happen again! I'm tired of being helpless in Civilization!"

"So you injure yourself further?" Severus asked flatly.

"Do you even care?" Harriet yanked her hand away again. "You only act like you do when you feel like it. And then later, you cover it up by treating me like you treat Neville!"

"So you want me to leave you be to crack your head open?" Severus barked.

"I want you to say how you feel about me!" Harriet yelled. "And act like it for once! Stop acting like you follow the Great Snake!"

Severus didn't know what to say. They were in public, and for once, he craved Black's presence. His overdramatic screeching would be a great escape. There was no way he could say how he felt because he honestly did not know. The last person he allowed himself to care for left him, and in desperation, he only got her killed.

At least Harriet knew she wasn't going to get an answer. She smiled bitterly. "I've always been drawn to liars."

She turned to walk away just as Longbottom got the balls to chase after them. Severus let her go.

* * *

 _She_ pushed him away. Severus knew it was for the best, but somehow, he found himself heading towards Harriet's rooms later that night. All day, he had been replying their conversation in his head over and over again until he wanted to tear his own hair out. He needed to walk away from this.

But he couldn't. He couldn't stop thinking about her, and it was becoming torturous. For most of his life, he had been slowly burying who he was to the point that he didn't even know himself. He didn't know how he felt about being a spy, pretending to hate half of himself. He didn't know how he felt about Harriet… He didn't know how he felt about Lily.

 _Isn't it wrong to love someone who doesn't love you back?_ She had been goading him, but Severus would never forget her words. Did he really want to hold on to his love for Lily if it meant never loving another person? The answer had always been yes…

Severus stopped a few steps away from Harriet's door. He couldn't let go of Lily. But he could feel it slipping away… His chest tightened, as if he heart could possibly hold onto it.

With a growl, Severus punched the wall. Lily was everything. There was no way he could simply snap his fingers and let her go.

"Severus?" Harriet opened her door and rubbed her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

They stared at each other for a long time, and Severus wondered if his eyes were full with as much longing as hers. After a moment, Harriet opened her door a little wider. Severus's lips crashed into hers.

 **Anyone have any idea what Harriet's planning? Well, not for the immediate future. ;) But to rescue Peter?**

 **Thank you for reviewing A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess and Child of Dreams!**

 **A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess: Did I PM a response to your review? I feel like I meant to and never did… Peter's issue is he loves Harriet like a daughter, but he's too much of a coward to act like it!**


	10. Secrets

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 10 Secrets

Severus barely heard Harriet shut the door behind him. They were kissing and backing into her tiny bed against the wall. There was no room for him, and Severus found himself on top of her. He wasn't doing much thinking until Harriet tilted her head to the side when his fingers ghosted over the rim of her pants. What if she didn't know… what they were doing?

But she did and as usual, threw him for loop. As if she was pointing out that he was being rude, she said lightly, "We aren't married."

Severus blinked in surprise, and she grinned at him getting caught up in the moment. Then, she started kissing him again and pressing her body against his. "Harriet…"

"Harry!" Black. He was knocking, but Severus was sure it was just a formality. Harriet didn't lock the door. "Are you sure you want to stay here? Because Tonks wasn't a prat all Christmas holiday!"

Severus froze. Harriet's lips were still on his. Slowly, she pulled herself away. Socially, she didn't see anything wrong with this. She would see no reason not to tell Black what they were doing.

"No. I like it here." She didn't sound the slightest bit afraid. "Severus is here."

 _Severus is about to get sick all over you,_ he thought. Since the dog didn't burst into the room, it was safe to assume he thought Harriet meant the castle. She smirked at him, reminding him who her father was.

"About that..." Black twisted the handle, and Severus wondered if a jump out Harriet's window would kill him. _If only…_ "Are you dressed?"

"No," she said proudly. Severus was starting to sweat. "I was just taking my clothes off."

"Oh." Black let go of the handle, and Severus felt like he could breathe again. "I just… figured you need to know about the opposite sex…"

Severus closed his eyes. He was on top of Harriet, and Black was trying to give her The Talk. Harriet frowned. "Opposite what?"

Oh Merlin…

"Sex…" Black cleared his throat. "I mean boys. Can you put your clothes on Harry? I want to talk to you. Because I know you aren't joking when you talk about Severus."

"I love him." Harriet sighed happily and slipped out of his tense embrace with ease. Severus took out his wand and silently cast a muffling charm on his shoes before sneaking into her closet. She smiled evilly at him as he silently shut the door. The little devil. "You can come in."

Severus was afraid to take deep breaths as he heard Black walk in the room. Harriet wasn't one to kill things if she didn't have too. A spider skittered across his scalp.

Black sighed tiredly. "He doesn't love you…" Severus heard creaking as the mutt started pacing. "Listen, when I was your age, I wasn't too nice to him. Neither was your dad or anyone for that matter. Except your mum. And she's gone. As a result… He's a very lonely, miserable, person, Harriet."

Well, that he to be the closest to an apology he would ever get from Black. It stung worse than his schoolboy taunts. No one gave a damn about him except Lily, who was dead.

"I'll make sure he's not anymore," Harriet said lightly. "And why do you look so guilty when you're still mean to him?"

Black didn't like that. Severus almost smiled. "Because! He's disgusting! I want you to stay away from him, Harry! He's going to try to… do things to you. Not nice things."

A pause. Harriet was demented. The James Potter in her was crude and loved to torture Black. She enjoyed pretending to not know that she was speaking too bluntly about sex and that it would disturb him. "We aren't married, so he can't put his penis in my vagina."

Severus put his hand over his mouth, not sure whether a laugh or a scream would escape. Either way, he'd probably end up beaten to death. Black spluttered and yelled in a traumatized sort of way only a father could.

"It's true." Harriet giggled but otherwise acted like she didn't know what Black was upset about. "Animals don't know any better and don't have marriage. I've seen birds, deer, turtles… Even unicorns—"

"Harriet!" Black was probably wishing he had brought Lupin or McKinnon.

Now Harriet was giving Black "The Talk." The dumb dog was finally getting what he deserved. "Fish don't do it though. The females lay eggs, and the males spray their semen on the eggs."

"HARRY!" Black took a deep breath. "Good. You know then… So if Snape touches you in anyway, you know to get me, right?"

Another pause. Harriet didn't like to lie, but she didn't see herself above it. In a way, he supposed she told the truth. "I know what to do if he touches me."

"Good." Black was probably dying to leave. Severus didn't blame him. "I'll see you in the morning, Harry. Good night."

The door shut, but Severus still waited a few minutes before opening the closet door. All smiles, Harriet plucked the spider off his forehead and let it crawl on her hand before allowing it run free on her windowsill.

"That was fun." Harriet hugged him tightly. Reality came crashing down on Severus, and he wanted to flee. "Do you want to get married?"

So much for running off. "You said you loved me," Severus accused. Harriet frowned at him. Love came so easily to her. "Relationships don't start off like that."

"Why not?" Harriet kissed him again, and Severus found himself not pulling back like part of him wanted to. "How do you feel about me?"

He came here to try to figure that now didn't he? Instead, he got caught up in lust that Harriet found humorous. "I don't know," he said honestly. "You're insufferable and immature but…"

"Would you change anything about me?" she asked seriously. Everyone she knew probably had a list as tall as themselves.

"No," Severus said without thinking. There were a million things about her that were wrong. She was half his age, illiterate, and couldn't pick up on half the social cues in a conversation. But without those things, she wouldn't be her, and he wouldn't be here.

The smile returned. "Sirius always knocks at night."

* * *

"So, I was thinking…" Marlene liked having early morning coffee in Sirius's room down the hall from Harriet's. It smelled like him, meaning aftershave and a hint of the expensive cologne he acted like he didn't use. "For Remus's birthday—"

"It's January!" Sirius whined. Nothing, not even taking care of Harriet, could make him a normal person. "His birthday's in March!"

"But I think more than anything, he'd like a little book made by Harriet," Marlene said as she tried to keep a straight face while Sirius pouted. "We could help her with the writing. It could be about her adventures or anything really. It could be therapeutic for her too."

"She hates writing," Sirius grumbled. He glared at the clock, blaming it for the time. "Why does she like to get up so bloody early?"

Marlene laughed. "Because her version of a night life is getting eaten by Acromantula. C'mon, Sirius. Without Remus, she wouldn't be able to spell her name or focus on a story. And she's really put him through the wringer these past few months."

"Fine." Ever the drama queen, Sirius groaned. "We'll do it during his and Tonks's date nights."

He shuttered at the thought, and Marlene smiled to herself. She wondered if he ever got lonely on Saturday night. Doubtful but… Now he had her. Her and Harriet.

* * *

Surprisingly, Harriet was open to the idea. Lately, she had been a lot nicer during her lessons too. Sirius had to say she was a lot happier than usual. He wondered what it was.

"Can I make up a story?" Harriet asked cheerfully.

 _Here we go…_ Sirius thought. Of course Marlene was open to the idea. He could only imagine what Harriet's mind could come up with. Hopefully there wasn't a certain greasy git involved.

"There's a mouse…" Harriet twitched her nose as she tried to think. "She's very small. Smaller than all the other mice."

"Let's start with that," Marlene said eagerly. Almost involuntarily, Sirius smiled when her eyes lit up. "We have three months, Harry. Want to make some pictures first?"

"She's reddish brown," Harry said with a frown when Marlene took out some pencils. "That's okay. I'll draw her husband first. His fur is black."

"Harry!"

Marlene snorted. Harriet's words never put her into a panic. "Does she have to be married, Harry? Is that important to the story?"

Harriet thought. Next he saw Snape, he was going to curse his hair pink. Stupid black mouse. "I guess not." She started to draw when Marlene handed her a russet colored pencil. "But shouldn't she get to love like everyone else?"

Snape was so dead. That isn't exactly fair though, a Remus-like voice said in his head. When was the last time Harriet and Snape actually spoke? Sirius wasn't sure. He was keeping his distance, but Harriet couldn't forget him.

"Maybe." Marlene giggled like it was funny. "But I think Remus prefers adventure to romance. Let me guess, she's going to defeat a snake monster?"

Harriet narrowed her eyes at being caught. After she drew a mouse sniffing in a field, with other mice gawking at her at a distance, she changed the story. "No. Just another mouse. An evil one who makes other mice selfish and sadistic."

Sadistic? Marlene made a shocked confused face like he had to be doing. She didn't know words like stupid or sex or cake, but she knew sadistic? But Marlene caught something else. "But he's just a mouse?"

Harriet nodded. "He's just another mouse."

* * *

"I don't know if I like her learning to fight with Neville," Sirius said. Harriet said she was tired after dinner, and Marlene supposed she deserved some alone time. For the past few weeks, she had been doing wonderfully. She could read a lot more short words now and could sit through a chapter of the novel Remus was reading to her. Even her magic was improving, although Sirius was rather upset that she had mouse ears for two days last week.

Marlene shrugged as she nosily went through some of Sirius's things. "It gives her confidence, although I'm not sure if she'll be ready to go out in public again anytime soon."

"Good," Sirius mumbled as he watched the sunset. "You do things too fast sometimes, Marlene."

"Right…" If she went by Sirius's pace, either Harriet would be babied to the point where she would never have any independence or Harriet would take advantage of him and turn Hogwarts upside down. The latter was probably more likely. "Don't you ever want to take her to Florean Fortescue's without worrying about her being scared?"

Sirius mumbled incoherent, probably nonsense words under his breath. He never wanted to admit when she was right. Marlene smiled to herself as she picked up an old, yellowing folded up piece of parchment. She opened it to find that it was blank.

"Oh that…" Sirius hesitated. "We made that back in school."

"I can see you put all your brain power into it," Marlene said dryly. "What? Was Remus sick this day?"

Sirius rolled his eyes as he walked over to her. "Ha, ha, ha." With a swish, his wand was out of his pocket and pointed at the parchment. " _I solemnly swear I am up to no good."_

And like that, the "parchment" came to life. Sirius opened it without a word to show her that it was a map of the castle. Marlene gasped in awe at the sight of the tiny footsteps walking across it. Sirius offered no explanation though and went back to the window.

"This is _incredible_ ," Marlene whispered.

"It was James's pride and joy," he said quietly. "And Harry can't read it."

"I think you would be in a lot of trouble if she could." Marlene chuckled and started looking for Harriet's room to see if the little devil was really sleeping like she said she was.

"That's not the point," Sirius muttered, but Marlene hardly heard him. _Severus Snape._ He was so close to Harriet that their names were intertwined. _Harriet Snape and Severus Potter._ What were they doing?

Bile rose in Marlene's throat. Should she tell Sirius? Without thinking, she flipped through the map until she spotted Fred and George. "I guess Malfoy's getting his just desserts."

Sirius turned at the shaky sound of her voice. "Are you okay?"

"I-I don't know." Marlene covered her mouth as if she was going to be sick. Harriet was considered an adult. She worked long and hard to make sure of it, to make sure the Ministry stayed out of their business. Technically, if she and Severus were… Legally, he was doing nothing wrong. What was she going to do?

"Christ." Sirius pointed his wand at the parchment. " _Mischief managed._ I thought that pork tasted funny. I'll take you to the Hospital Wing."

She'd figure out what was going on, and then she'd tell him… preferably with Remus.

* * *

Harriet went to bed early again the next day. Sirius and Remus thought nothing of it. Harriet always went to bed early and was more often than not up before the sun. Marlene excused herself, saying that she still wasn't feeling well. Instead of going home, she snuck off to Harriet's room.

"What was that magic?" Harriet asked as Marlene conspicuously pressed her ear against the wall. She could only imagine what a passerby would think. "When you showed me that hidden memory?"

"Legilimency," Snape said. That bastard! Marlene put her hand on the doorknob. As soon as she heard any sign that they were crossing the line, she was going to teach him a lesson he wouldn't soon forget. "And no, you can't learn it. Many people with years of magical practice can't perform it."

"I can do it," Harriet pressed. Marlene almost smiled.

"Are you still having the dreams?" Snape said quietly, as if he cared. "I think Occlumency would be more useful."

"I can do both," Harriet insisted, even though she had no clue what Occlumency was. "But, I need to see the dreams because—"

"Those dreams can be fabricated, you know that right?" Snape asked with growing concern. "So don't think… Fabricated means—"

"I know what it means," Harriet said hotly.

Snape laughed, actually laughed. Marlene couldn't ever remember hearing him laugh. "No, you don't. You're a terrible liar, Harriet. You're face colors. It means made up, like a trick."

"So he isn't hurting Daddy?" Harriet sounded so hopeful that it broke Marlene's heart.

"I won't lie to you." There was a creak, and Snape rose from wherever he was sitting and started pacing. "The Dark Lord is sadistic , I told you that."

 _Sadistic._ That was how Harriet knew that word. How long had this been going on? Could Harriet's sudden progress have to do with Snape?

"He hurts you too," Harriet said.

"That is not your concern," Snape said curtly. "You would be better off if you weren't having the dreams. I will teach you how to block them out."

"And you'll keep showing me the lost memories?" Harriet asked. Well, demanded was more like it.

Again, Snape laughed. Is that what they were doing last night? Harriet somehow had lost memories. "I need you to tell me what really happened." Harriet growled. "The memories weren't lost, and you know it."

"Daddy erased them," Harriet said with annoyance. So Pettigrew _Obliviated_ her. Marlene supposed she shouldn't be surprised.

"Why?" Snape pushed. There was a long pause. "Harriet?"

"He didn't want me to know magic."

"Why?"

"You know why!" Harriet yelled. "It's not funny! I'm not stupid!"

"I never said it was," Snape said gently. "And when have I ever called you stupid?"

"In your room with the children," Harriet snapped. Remus told her about this. Marlene almost found it funny that Harriet called students her age children.

Marlene let go of the doorknob. The silence made her think that Snape was going to childishly stomp out at any moment. Instead, the impossible happened. "I'm sorry."

Harriet clearly couldn't believe her ears either. At first, she didn't know what to say. "I just wanted to see you."

"Someone wanting to is such a rare occurrence that I couldn't believe it myself," Snape drawled.

"You're full of doxy eggs." Harriet giggled, making Marlene wonder if Snape was making a confused face similar to hers. Was that her version of swearing? "… When you talk about Daddy, I feel like your pressing thoughts into my head. Like everyone else."

"We're trying to undo the thoughts 'pressed into your head,'" Snape informed her. "It's called brain washing. Pettigrew brain washed you."

"You can't wash brains." After a moment, Harriet sighed. "He didn't want me to be stronger than him."

Again, there was quiet. Marlene pressed ear further into the door, desperately trying to hear what they were doing. Then she heard Snape heading towards the door. With a silent swear, she ran off.

* * *

There was no talk of intimacy. Snape sounded like he was genuinely trying to help her. So what should she do? If she told, Marlene could set Harriet back. It was inappropriate that they were meeting together in her room, secretly at night. But if Snape wasn't doing anything wrong, was there any harm?

"Harriet, can I ask you something?" Marlene asked as lightly as she could. Yet again, Harriet had an exceptionally good day to the point that Remus was in shock. She said she would take the girl for a hike in the woods as a reward before it became dark.

"Hmm?" Harriet was barely paying her any mind. The different plants on the ground were way more interesting to her.

"Have ever…" Marlene took a deep breath. Her face was already turning red. "… done anything, erhm, sexual?"

Harriet straightened up and frowned to her. "Like, to myself?"

Marlene gaped. She was about to start backpedaling until she remembered something. Sirius said that not too long ago, she didn't know what the word "sex" meant. As far as she knew, he didn't properly explain it to her either. All of the sudden, Harriet understood. "Or with someone else."

Harriet gave her a look that said, _Are you an idiot?_ "I'm not married."

This was fan-bloody-tastic. Marlene closed her eyes and counted to ten. "You know, Harry, when I say sexual, I don't necessarily mean sex. Things like kissing, touching, with someone you may have feelings for."

Harriet narrowed her eyes. She had to give the girl credit. She knew how to manipulate a conversation. "If you want to do things with Black, I can give you some Sacred Lilies, so you can marry him. Even if you aren't of royal blood, I'm sure you'll still be considered mated in the eyes of the God of Life."

Her words were pure nonsense, but they still managed to made Marlene turn scarlet and felt like the wind was knocked out of her. "No! I mean—no! I-I…" Wait a minute…

Enough games. Marlene put her hands on her hips. "Harriet, why does Severus go into your room at night?"

Now it was Harriet's turn to blush. "To teach me magic like you."

"And?"

Harriet's cheeks colored more. If Snape was right, she was about to lie. "He wouldn't accept a Sacred Lily."

Harriet pushed past her and ran off, back towards the castle. She had to be really upset if she was going to give up time in the Forbidden Forest. Did Snape reject her again? Marlene was more confused than ever.

* * *

Harriet wanted to talk to Severus about Ms. Marlene. Technically, she didn't lie. She knew that Severus would never accept a Sacred Lily from her. A member of the royal family had to give one to the person they loved so that that person could be considered married.

But now that she thought about it, that didn't make sense. The lilies weren't sacred without Mummy, and Mummy wasn't even buried there. Plus, Mummy didn't have the royal blood. Daddy did. Harriet blindly believed it because Daddy told her. It was one of those overwhelming moments were she realized her entire life was a lie, and she _needed_ to talk to Severus about it.

Hours ticked by. Harriet itched at her scar and curled up in a ball on her bed. She didn't want to sleep. She knew what was coming.

"Harry?" Black opened her door, making Harriet jump since she was starting to doze. "Sorry. Marlene said I should check on you."

Harriet sat up and tried to keep her face blank. In her half-conscious daze, she had thought it was Severus finally arriving. "Oh."

"Everything alright?" He had no clue, so that meant Ms. Marlene didn't tell him of her suspicions. Why? Wasn't it her job to make sure she didn't do anything to upset Black and Lupin?

"My scar hurts," Harriet confessed. _And I'm worried about Severus._

Worry filled Black's face. "Are you still having dreams?" Harriet shrugged. She didn't like to talk about them, how she woke up crying every morning. Crying was for babies. "Oh Harry."

Black sat on her bed and pulled her into a hug. Harriet tensed and was too worried and upset to think about hugging him back. She had to defeat the Great Snake.

* * *

"Woah!" Spring was coming to an end when Harriet finally succeeded in turning into a mouse. However, Ms. Marlene was the one doing the squeaking as Harriet ran. She was so excited that she started doing circles around the room. She could finally save Daddy!

"Harry!" Ms. Marlene said with a laugh. "Change back before Sirius comes in and has a heart attack!"

Oh. How exactly was she going to do that? Ms. Marlene said she had to focus on something called a "fight or flight" response to change. So in order to do so, she had to think about things that terrified her, like losing Daddy and Severus.

But now she had no idea how to change back. Bravery had to be the key. She stood on her tiny hind legs and puffed out her chest, thinking about how great it would be to defeat the Great Snake for good.

Nothing happened except an annoying giggle from Ms. Marlene. How was she supposed to defeat the Great Snake as a tiny mouse he could stomp on?

A flash of cool blue light hit her as Ms. Marlene changed her back. Harriet tried not to get frustrated. Being brave clearly didn't mean you weren't scared anymore.

"Not to worry!" Ms. Marlene didn't know how important this was, and Harriet couldn't tell her either. "Maybe we'll figure that out in the next few months. Until then, want to try some wand work?"

Next few months?! She couldn't wait that long! The Great Snake said he was going to kill Daddy and feed him to Nagini! "But…"

Ms. Marlene smiled like she felt bad. Every night, she sent Sirius to check on Harriet with some excuse or another. As a result, Severus often stopped by in the mornings when he could often _after_ seeing the Great Snake. Harriet couldn't take seeing him in so much pain, and from the dreams, she knew it was her fault. The Great Snake wanted Severus to deliver her to him.

"These things take time," Ms. Marlene said. She didn't even understand a fraction of her disappointment. "You're not an animagus, Harriet. You're just taking advantage of a charm Pettigrew put on you. This type of magic isn't common. It's a miracle we were able to figure out this much."

So they may not be able to go any further. Harriet took Ms. Marlene's hand and let her help her up. She would have to go through with her plan without knowing how to change back. Hopefully Daddy or Severus would help her.

The next time Severus left to see the Great Snake, she was going with him.

 **Thank you for reviewing Child of Dreams, A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess, AnimeFreak71777, Guest, and Kame88!**

 **A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess: Same. I always end up rambling…**

 **Was this chapter too weird? I was going for funny… :P**


	11. Confronted with One's Biggest Fear

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 11 Confronted with One's Biggest Fear

"G'night, Harry." Tonight was the night. Harriet watched Black stretch and get ready to leave, thinking tomorrow was going to be like any other day.

Well, technically it wouldn't be. There was no school in the summer, apparently, although Lupin still wanted to continue with theirs. The only difference was that they would be doing it at the place she stayed at briefly during the winter. They wanted Harriet to pick a color to paint her room.

So she was running out of time.

Soon she wouldn't be near Severus, meaning she wouldn't have the opportunity to save Daddy. She would be stuck at that other place for at least two months, but by then, it might already be too late. According to her dreams, the Great Snake insisted that it would be, but Severus said not to trust him…

"Do I really have to listen to those pre-sen-tations tomorrow?" Harriet asked, stalling. Miss Marlene wanted her to sit in a room full of children she didn't know. Muggle Studies, the class was called.

Black laughed and ruffled her hair. Before he could make a strange joke, Harriet jumped into a hug before she could stop herself. If the Great Snake ate her, she would never see him again, and he would remember her as a liar.

But that didn't happen yet, and Black hugged her back, loving her like he always did. She didn't deserve it. "Presentations. Harry, this summer is going to be great, I promise."

She didn't want to let go but knew she had to. She had to give Black a chance to fall asleep so she sneak off to Severus.

* * *

The Dark Lord was getting impatient. Severus knew his days were numbered. Perhaps that was why he returned to Harriet every chance he got. He knew there was going to be a day that he wouldn't come back, so he threw caution to the wind, gave up on things like morals and propriety.

Severus closed his eyes as he snatched his cloak off the chair on his desk. Although he appeared calm, his heart felt like a fist was squeezing it with every beat. Would tonight be his last night alive?

He put on his mask and flooed to Malfoy Manor.

There would be discussion of a raid on Hogsmeade. Neville Longbottom, Dumbledore's golden boy, was the target. Severus needed to find out if it was going to happen during the last Hogsmeade weekend or when the students boarded the train home. He needed to survive at least one more meeting.

One more meeting, one more meeting. How many times did he have to tell himself that he had to make it through one more night? He wasn't sure how much longer he could take it. He didn't want to admit to being afraid of Death.

"Nice of you to join us, Severus," the Dark Lord said quietly as he twirled his wand in his hands like an impatient child. "I see you have failed yet again to bring—"

Severus went rigid when he heard a squeak. There wasn't a mouse in sight. That could only mean…

A tiny brown mouse hopped out of his pocket and started heading straight for Pettigrew, who could only gape like the slack jawed fool that he was. No one else dared to move as a slow smile spread across the Dark Lord's face.

He pointed his wand at the mouse, missing at an attempt to change Harriet back. Severus couldn't move as he prayed for her to give up and try to find cover. Unfortunately, Harriet was never one to give up, so she started darting up Pettigrew's pants, for his pocket. "Well, Severus, it seems you aren't a failure after all."

Like any predator would, the Dark Lord slowly started walking towards Pettigrew, relishing the moment. Severus tried to reach for his wand without being seen, but Pettigrew didn't have to worry about concealing his movements and was faster. His sweaty hand wasn't even in his pocket by the time Pettigrew changed her back.

"There she is!" The Dark Lord couldn't stop smiling as Harriet cowered in Pettigrew's quivering embrace. "I've been waiting for you, Harry."

Harriet didn't say a word. When her eyes fell on Severus, he wondered if she knew that she was going to die. She only started shaking harder. What did she think was going to happen?

Who was he kidding? She would never lose faith in Pettigrew. The man raised her, sculpted her every thought and belief. She really did think that he would see her and that together, they would escape the Dark Lord, perhaps even defeat him.

The silence, the lack of begging and tears, made the Dark Lord quickly grow bored. He frowned until he had an "amusing" idea. A test. With a few hisses, Nagini slithered to his feet.

"Feed her to Nagini," the Dark Lord barked at Pettigrew. He was finally given the perfect opportunity to test the rat's loyalty. Did he really see Harriet as his daughter?

Severus saw him hesitate and was practically screaming in his mind that he would somehow do the impossible and get them out of this, the three of them. But wizards weren't mind readers. The choking sound he made when the rat pushed Harriet forward was drowned out by her shocked scream.

Nagini circled her. He was too outnumbered. He would be dead before he could take a step towards her. Severus's had his hand on his wand when Harriet started hissing at the Dark Lord's pet. The evil man, if he could still be called one, cackled.

"She only listens to me, Harry!" The Dark Lord hissed a command at Nagini. She stopped her circling but wrapped her tail around Harriet's feet. Her face was so close to hers that she was able to lick Harriet's nose. "I've been watching you, Harry. And have been letting you watch me."

Harriet couldn't stop her eyes from bulging. Her voice shook. "You're not going to hurt them anymore, are you?"

"You bloody idiot!" Severus screamed before he could stop himself. The Dark Lord started laughing.

"Not unless they deserve it," he promised, turning Harriet's naïve sacrifice into a joke.

Harriet's face was snow white. Severus realized that the last thing she was going to remember him saying to her was an insult to her intelligence. He said what would hurt her most before she died. Just like his last words to Lily were unforgiveable.

She closed her eyes and brought her hands together in prayer. Harriet never prayed. She prattled on and on about the ridiculous "God of Life," but Severus never heard her pray. When did she make a reference to prayer…? She only ever said she did when…

When she hunted. Harriet opened her eyes so she was eye to eye with Nagini once again. She took a deep breath and like that day in the field, and like that night long ago with the unicorns, let out deadly magical fire.

Albus theorized Nagini was a horcrux, but obviously didn't have proof. Severus watched the beast absorb the flames and instantly turn black. As it crumbled, screaming dark grey smoke erupted from it, and the faces that left formed were that of the Dark Lord. Like any other smoke, they faded into nothingness.

 _"Avada Kedavra!"_

* * *

"Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!" Marlene laughed as she poked Sirius awake. It wasn't even six in the morning, but she knew Harriet would already be in the tub, accidently nicking her legs with the razor Ginny gave her to tease Sirius and her brother.

Sirius moaned and covered his head with the pillow. "I don't smell bacon."

"C'mon! I want Harriet to teach us how to make bandages with spider webs and herbs." Marlene loved when Harriet taught them something they didn't know. The often simple acts made her feel smart.

"That's definitely not bacon!" Sirius whined. "How can she not love bacon?"

Marlene snatched the blanket off of Sirius, trying her best to ignore the fact that he was shirtless. "Because it comes from a pig. And no, you can't try to trick her and say it's a vegetable. Hurry up, dog breath!"

Twenty minutes later, Sirius grumbled all the way during the short walk to Harriet's room. However, he stopped at her door. "She loves you."

Marlene blinked in surprise and then tried to wave him off. "She loves everyone."

"Maybe," Sirius mumbled as he turned the knob on Harriet's door. As he opened it, he added, "But she doesn't see everyone as a mother."

Before Marlene could think of an answer, they stepped into a tense silence. The bathroom door was open. Harriet wasn't in her bed or messing with the Legos the Weasleys bought her for Christmas. Sirius ran to the closet and ripped the door open to find nothing but clothes and spiders.

"Harry!" he said loudly. "HARRY!"

* * *

Harriet saw the bright light before she opened her eyes. She was almost afraid to. That was the spell that Daddy used to kill large animals for the winter, animals much larger than herself.

She opened one eye first. Then the other before sitting up to meet the God of Life. She pictured a giant so tall that she couldn't see his face. Instead, someone else was waiting for her.

"Mummy!"

It could be a trick, but Harriet refused to believe it. No trick could be so cruel. Without much thought, Harriet ran into her mother's arms and hugged her tightly, something she had wanted to do for as long as she could remember.

There was a man with her. He had messy black hair and a shy smile that Harriet somehow knew was out of character for him. His hands were in his jean pockets, and he seemed to be forcing himself to keep the small distance between them.

"You know who I am." It was a statement, not a question. Still, he sounded hopeful.

"Severus told me." She grew up thinking he was a slain servant, but he was her father. Harriet didn't leave her mother's arms. It seemed that neither one of them knew how to react to each other.

"Greasy git," James muttered. Mummy swatted at him.

"I'm not going to argue with her with what little time we have with her," Mummy whispered. "Listen Harriet, we're going to send you back—"

"We should wait until she has more of a chance to escape!" James said urgently. "She's surrounded."

"I can't risk him burning her!" Mummy shot back. "She-she'll just have to do what she does best."

"Follow Snape around?" James grumbled. However he brightened when Harriet smiled.

"No!" Mummy rolled her eyes. "Harriet, you're going to have to trick Voldemort. He knows you're clever, but he doesn't know you. You're going to have to trick him."

What she "did best" was tricking people. Harriet didn't want to be known for that, for using half-truths and omissions to get what she wanted. But that was exactly what she had been doing lately, wasn't it? She was a liar.

"But…" The Great Snake knew she didn't have a mind like a baby. He often challenged her because he knew she was capable of getting to him. _He_ had tricked _her_.

"People form opinions of you, Harriet without truly knowing you," Mummy pressed. "They only know a small piece of you until you give them the privilege of knowing more. You _have_ to get out of there."

"He's no smarter than Sirius," James joked. "Voldemort sees what he wants to see, Harry. And what he wants to see is that everyone was wrong about you. He wants to prove everyone wrong and think that he's the only one who can control you. Take advantage of that."

"I can't," Harriet insisted. She wasn't evil. She just wanted to save Severus and Daddy… Peter. Peter, who pushed her forward as Nagini's next meal. James was trying to save her life, and she couldn't even say to herself that she was her father.

"You can!" James nearly yelled. "You aren't like us, Harry. We love you, but you're manipulative and you know how to play people. You're going to have to save yourself."

"James," Mummy chided. Her eyes softened when she turned back to her. "You can do this, Harriet. You can defeat Voldemort."

Harriet's eyes flew open before she could figure out what to say.

* * *

The Dark Lord didn't know what to do, which wasn't good for Harriet. She woke up mere moments after he "killed" her. Severus hadn't even been able to register the fact that she was "dead." She was placed in a heavily warded dungeon to rot, and Severus was sent back to Hogwarts with the orders to act like nothing had ever happened.

He was too outnumbered. There was nothing he could do. No one gave a damn about her there. The Dark Lord rightfully never trusted him. He's never going to be able to get near her.

Severus found himself completely giving into despair for the first time since Lily died. Like some kind of animal, he started destroying everything he could get his hands on in his office. The stone floor was covered in glass within moments, and the air reeked of his students' assignments. Just as he was about to flip his desk, he spotted a note.

The paper was pure white, the kind of paper that small children use to color on. _Yew ar good._ She wasn't even able to write him more than a short sentence and express how she felt about him. How was she going to defend herself against one hundred fully trained wizards?

* * *

"We should check her room again," Sirius said. He shook like a leaf as he looked through the map he made with his friends at school. Marlene didn't know what to do until she saw Snape suddenly appear in his office. He must have just flooed in.

She should have said something from the very beginning. Harriet was of age, and Marlene wasn't completely sure, but those were just excuses. This was her fault. "S-S-Sirius…"

"Do you see her?!" Sirius asked hopefully, causing Marlene to burst into tears. "What?"

"She-she's been sp-spending t-time with Sn-Snape," she sobbed.

"What do you mean?" Sirius said calmly, unable to comprehend what she was saying. "They haven't spoken in months."

Marlene shook her head and did her best to stop choking on her own sobs. "She-she-they-I listened in, and-and they were just talking, and I-I j-j-just didn't know wha-what to do—"

"SO YOU DID NOTHING?!" Sirius roared, finally understanding. "YOU DID NOTHING UNTIL WE CAN'T FIND HER!"

Before Marlene could try to think of a response, Sirius spotted Snape on the Map. He had flooed to Dumbledore's office.

* * *

"There is nothing I could do!" Never in a million years did Marlene think she would see Severus Snape crying. He didn't even notice them enter Dumbledore's office. "He sent me away as soon as she opened her eyes! As he ordered Pettigrew to take her to the dungeons!"

 **"WHO?!"** Sirius screamed, even though they all already knew. Voldemort. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BABY?!"

Snape turned around, and Marlene expected him to take his anger out on Sirius. He always did. Instead, he fixated on her. "YOU! This is all _YOUR_ fault! You killed her!"

"What?" Marlene breathed out. No… Harriet couldn't be dead. Snape just said that he was sent away as she was opening her eyes…

"You were raping her!" Sirius accused. "You used her and then fed her to Voldemort!"

Snape ignored him and advanced towards Marlene. "You taught her how to turn into a mouse! Do you ever think McKinnon? I thought a few decades without Black would allow some of the air to escape from your head! Why would you teach her such magic without knowing what she was going to do with it?!"

His wand was at her throat. Sirius was staring. She didn't have an acceptable answer for either of them and found herself babbling. "She-she wanted to learn and given how she felt about magic in the past… It w-w-was good for her confidence. She was so proud of herself—"

"Because it was part of her plan!" Snape roared. "I go to a meeting, trying to think of yet another excuse for not bringing her, and to my surprise, she jumps out of my bloody pocket and heads straight for Pettigrew! You fucking idiot!"

The room started to spin. What had Remus said to Tonks? _He's the one person who doesn't think anything is wrong with her. And I fear that because of that, she thinks he's the only person who truly loves her._ Harriet was never going to give up on Pettigrew. Marlene should have known better. She made stupid mistake after stupid mistake because she loved Harriet like her own and allowed that to cloud her judgement.

The last thing she saw before she passed out was Sirius's face as he tried not to scream.

* * *

Severus didn't care anymore. When Lily died, he wanted to avenge her death and what he thought at the time was the resulting death of her daughter. That was all he had to live for.

The thought of Harriet dying made him give up on such notions. He didn't want to live after knowing someone like her is about to die a gruesome death. He was so selfish that he wanted to die without knowing how much she suffered. The Dark Lord must have sensed this and offered him the details of his plan the following evening.

"I'll have to make sure she dies this time," he said in greeting. Severus found himself rooted on the spot of what was once Rodolphus's office as the Dark Lord started circling him like a hungry shark. "So I'll cut her up and spread her body across various parts of Europe. She can't come back if her head's on a stake at my throne, and her torso is in Germany."

Severus swallowed back bile. He had yet to admit what Harriet was to him, but he was sure that it was obvious. "Is that why you summoned me, my lord?"

"Where do you propose I put her arms and legs?" the Dark Lord asked casually. "Perhaps in a few cities, where she would have been hopelessly lost."

Severus didn't open his mouth. Surely he could avoid throwing up as he did so. He hadn't eaten since the night before the meeting. The only satisfaction he could get was that the Dark Lord wanted him to answer, to beg and panic or even better, to try to fight.

That lead to the ultimate taunt. "I'll take you to her if you want," he whispered in Severus's ear. "As soon as you admit your betrayal, I'll give you relief, Severus. I'll kill you before her eyes."

He would have a chance to say goodbye, but again, he would be hurting her. Was he really that selfish, that he would allow her to see him die? But his last words to her had been calling her an idiot. He had the chance to reverse it…

He almost said no. He would struggle to make sure he died before reaching the dungeons instead. But then he realized something. The Dark Lord had yet to take his wand.

He wasn't a fool. The Dark Arts were his specialty, and although he could defeat many powerful wizards, he was no match for the Dark Lord. Perhaps that was why his wand hadn't been taken from him. The Dark Lord wanted him to put up a fight and ultimately lose. That would make things far more amusing.

There was one thing the Dark Lord wasn't expecting. Albus always did say that he did not know love, and it was his greatest weakness. He wouldn't understand that he would think of showing Harriet mercy, even though it would lead to his death being far more torturous.

It would be better for her to die in a flash of green light than being dismembered. She wouldn't even know it was happening. Severus tried to keep his mind blank as he answered. He still refused to admit his guilt. "As you wish, my lord."

* * *

Harriet sat in the dark prison for hours, trying to think of what to do. The Great Snake never believed Daddy, who tried to lie and say she was stupid. She closed her eyes at the memories of his begging and crying in her dreams. The Great Snake enjoyed such moments. Torture was something he did for fun.

 _You're manipulative, and you know how to play people._ Harriet curled a ball. They were pretty much saying that she was evil, and that was how she could fight against the Great Snake. The key to defeating him was being just like him.

Or was that simply the key to escaping because this was one big mistake? Or could she get out of here and actually save Daddy? No Peter… Harriet found herself fixating on names instead of thinking about what was happening to her. She wished she had called Black Sirius when she hugged him last night, and she wished she told Lupin she liked the books that he read to her with the jokes. She wished she told Nymphadora that her baby was cute and Miss Marlene that her magic lessons made her feel like she was just as capable as everyone else.

Even though it was for babies, Harriet found herself crying without trying to hold back her tears… until a faraway door opened.

There was the sound of running, and somehow, she knew it was Severus before he reached her. His fingers curled around the metal bars that contained her. Harriet thought about how it felt when his fingers intertwined with hers when he kissed her.

She kept her distance and simply looked at his wild eyes. She felt like they spent more time trying to express their emotions through distant looks than words or touches. Now from his desperation, she could tell that he thought it was too late. He was going to tell her how he felt in front of the Great Snake. He was going to give up.

"Harriet, I—"

Like she did with Lupin, she sent him flying with her magical tornado. It was the only magic Dadd—Peter let her keep because she used it to keep away the giant spiders. Severus's head crashed into wall, and Harriet tried not to look worried. The Great Snake was listening. She just knew it.

"Interesting." He appeared out of nowhere. Harriet hadn't even heard his footsteps. Shadows can't hide sounds. "Is this another attempt to save him, Harry?"

"He brought me here," Harriet lied. "He stuffed me in his pocket—"

"Don't lie," he snapped so coldly that Harriet jumped. "You were eager to be the hero. You are not putty in Wormtail's hands."

She had to say something he would like, something that would make him happy. He wanted to think that everyone was wrong about her, that only he knew her. "He thought he could trick me."

"Yes, well, Wormtail is incredibly—"

"I wasn't talking about him." Harriet glanced at Severus, who was unconscious against the wall. "Did you think I was going to fall for it again?"

"Fall for what?" the Great Snake hissed.

"He said he loved me." Harriet looked away. That's what he was _going_ to say. She could tell by his eyes. "That's why you sent him down here."

That much was the truth. He was going to get Severus to say it, just so he could kill him in front of her. It was a trap, and Severus didn't care. She had to make the Great Snake think she thought Severus was in on it.

"That's what you wanted, isn't it?" She wouldn't cry, not in front of him. "You wanted him to say it, so I would do whatever you wanted!"

The Great Snake slowly walked over to her prison and grabbed the bars where Severus had. Harriet wanted to be sick. "You aren't angry with him, Harry. You were trying to save him."

"Why would I?" she yelled. She winced when her voice cracked. "He made me think I could save Daddy when…"

She didn't know what else to say. Her outright lies were only believed by those who thought she wasn't capable of the act. It was easier when there was a speck of truth in them. Severus made her feel like she was like everyone else, like she could do anything.

"Wormtail doesn't want to be saved," the Great Snake hissed. Harriet leaned away from him, even though she was already as far away as possible. "You killed my dearest friend tonight, Harry."

This was her chance. Harriet squeezed her eyes shut, allowing herself a moment of cowardice before opening them and facing the Great Snake. "Because she tried to kill me. If I'm going to be queen one day, I have to be a survivor." She glanced at Severus, hoping that she was buying him more time along with herself. "Civilization is full of gluttonous traitor's hell bent on—"

"You are trying to manipulate me." The thought made the Great Snake smile instead of filling him with rage. "How… _endearing_."

Harriet saw Severus struggling to open his eyes. She was running out of time. Mummy said to tell him what he wanted to hear, and he wanted to hear that he was right. "I'll do anything." At least she didn't have to fake the fear. "Even…"

"Even what?" This was a game to him. He had no intention of letting her live. He was the Great Snake for God's sake! She couldn't let him decide for her. He would want her to kill Severus.

She had never felt so disgusting in her life, but she had to do it. She had to say something that would amuse the Great Snake, make him want to continue his sick game for just a little longer. If she could get out of here and talk to Daddy… Surely he would help her escape. "Be your queen."

 **I'm back! Thank you for the reviews AnimeFreak71777, Almonda, and A-Ravenclaw-Demigoddess!**

 **Poor Harriet! :( Logically, she knows what Pettigrew is all about, but emotionally, she'll always love and trust him.**

 **I wrote a short fem!Harry x Neville story called** _ **Who is June Potter?**_ **If you want to check that out. ;)**


	12. A Question of Love

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 12 A Question of Love

 _The day was just like any other Halloween, solemn and quiet. Sirius often wondered what Harry was up to. She would be seventeen now, legally an adult. Does she look like Lily? When she was a baby, Sirius was sure she would._

 _"You should eat, Padfoot," Remus said quietly. His best friend made Sirius's favorites, but as usual on Halloween, he was too lost in thought to care. He wondered what Harriet was doing._

 _"Leave him be," Tonks whispered._

 _Although he knew it was no use, Sirius tried to force himself to smile when Teddy started playing with his mashed up pumpkin from his high chair. The last time he saw Harriet, she wasn't much bigger than him._

 _"Sir," Remus said nervously. Sirius hadn't even heard Dumbledore floo in. Whenever their old headmaster showed up unexpectedly, Remus always feared that he was going to say they had found Harriet's body, but he himself knew better. Harriet was alive. He could feel it._

 _But part of him, a rather large depressing part, thought that he was never going to see her again. So imagine his surprise when Dumbledore announced, "We found her."_

 _It was like the entire world seemed to stop. There was no denying who "her" was. Sirius couldn't feel his legs as he rose from his seat. "Where?" he breathed out._

 _"Hogwarts," Dumbledore said. He held up a hand to stop Sirius, but it was already too late. Nothing could keep him from his goddaughter._

Sirius sat in Snape's chair in his office, but didn't see the destroyed room before him. He was too lost in his thoughts, trying to remember every moment he had with Harry. It was impossible, but he still squeezed his eyes shut, hating himself for not being able to remember every detail. What was the last thing they painted together? The face she made when she tried chocolate for the first time?

"What are you doing here?" The usual malice wasn't present in Snape's voice.

"Is she alive?" Sirius asked desperately, trying to shake the current memory out of his mind: Harriet shrieking when she tasted a lemon for the first time. Now was not the time to smile.

"Yes." He didn't look devastated and didn't have a reason to lie. Snape looked stunned, like someone had just slapped him in the face. "For now…"

"Take me with you!" Sirius said breathlessly. "The next time you go! I can save her—"

"Because that plan worked out so well for her!" Snape snapped.

"What are you going to do?" Sirius asked. If Snape had a plan, he wouldn't interfere. That could only get Harriet killed. "Because if you don't have a plan…"

"Apparently she does," Snape grumbled as he started to walk away. "I have to speak to Albus. Alone."

Like hell he would. But before he could follow, Sirius grabbed Snape's arm. The other man tensed, preparing himself for the usual fight. "Listen…" Sirius took a deep breath. He didn't want to say this, but he had to. He didn't care what happened, as long as Harriet was back and safe. "I don't care if she follows you around like a puppy for the rest of our lives… I don't like it but… but I want her back… I just want her back!"

Snape gazed at him coldly. "He was going to kill her. Until she asked him to marry her."

Sirius stared. His mouth hung open as Snape yanked his arm out of his grasp and pushed past him.

* * *

 _"Take the cure and come with me." Her voice wasn't Lily's. The pitch was higher, a little more childlike. Well, she was still a child after all. Severus remembered when he thought being seventeen made him an adult. Or perhaps it was because her voice was full of hope and wonder. The most mundane things caught her eye and cause her to become entranced. But James Potter's eyes quickly found their way back to him._

 _"Excuse me?" At the time, Severus was thinking about how disturbed she must be. She couldn't read and for a split second, he wondered if Pettigrew's mental abuse stunted her intellectual growth._

 _But then he saw an odd look in her eyes. Working at Hogwarts, he knew that look well, but he had never been at the receiving end. It was how most of the female population used to look at Black twenty years ago. "You can be my consort. Our children will rule the Forest one day."_

 _It was the first moment he realized that there was more to Harriet than meets the eye, and that was saying something. He didn't want to admit it, but he already wanted to know everything about her._

* * *

Harriet wondered what Severus was doing. He was the first person she trusted in Civilization, not because he was particularly kind or willing to help her. She was simply drawn to him. It was hard to explain.

Perhaps it was his honesty. He tried to hurt her with the truth about his involvement in Mummy's death, but that made Harriet only want to help him more. It was yet another reason to defeat the Great Snake. The only thing he lied to her about was love…

"Would you lie to me?" Harriet was taken to a rather large room and felt her mouth run dry as she faced a bed. Then, she turned to face _him._

The Great Snake grinned. "Yes."

"Well I won't lie to you," Harriet lied. She tried to hide it by matching his grin. She took a backwards step towards the bed, an excuse for her blush.

The Great Snake chuckled and put a long fingered hand around her neck. He didn't squeeze. For now, he simply wanted to amuse himself with her terror. "I'm waiting for one of you slip up. Whoever does gets to watch the other die first."

Harriet swallowed. His fingernails nearly reached the back of her neck. "H-he doesn't love me. You set up a trap. So it's not going to work."

The monster couldn't stop smiling. "We'll see. For now, let us sleep, my _queen_."

There was nothing sexual about them sharing a bed; Harriet was quick to find out. At first she was relieved, until she realized it was not a matter of monitoring. The Great Snake wanted to make her as uncomfortable as possible. She turned to face him when his cold arm placed itself on her waist.

Heartless eyes watched her in the moonlight. Did such a creature even need to sleep?

"I'm going to win," he whispered.

Harriet closed her eyes and after a while, slowed her breathing to pretend to be asleep. She wouldn't let him.

* * *

 _Marlene couldn't stop thinking about that night that Harriet was sick from trying to make an escape tunnel in the snow. It was just a simple fever. The poor girl was surrounded by foreign germs. She lived in a school and spent most of her life isolated. She was bound to get sick a lot._

 _Her cheeks were pink and her hair was starting to get wet from sweat. Marlene tipped a fever reducer in her mouth while Sirius nervously put a damp cloth to her forehead. Harriet spluttered and groaned, muttering something about a rat under her breath._

 _"I'm going to send Molly a Patronus." Sirius sounded like he was going to be sick himself. Marlene almost smiled. It was just a fever._

 _Harriet opened her glassy eyes. "Mummy…"_

 _"Shhh…" Marlene conjured a hair tie and tried her best to get Harriet's hair out of her face. "Don't let Sirius hear you say that."_

 _Harriet frowned and struggled to focus. "Oh. It's you."_

 _"Thanks," Marlene said dryly._

 _"Are you going to take me to the unicorns?" Harriet asked feverishly. Of course, Sirius had just returned. "Severus knows about the unicorns…"_

 _Marlene knew better than this. She knew about Harriet and Severus and did nothing. And now…_

 _She knew Harriet wasn't fit to be on her own. She should have filed for Sirius to have guardianship, but she was afraid of Umbridge trying to lock her up in the Janus Thickey Ward and had Harriet declared mentally fit to take care of herself instead._

 _So her talks with Harriet were confidential, but Marlene liked to think they were more than patient and behaviorist, that they were family._

 _"No." Sirius poured her a glass of water to wash down the fever reducer with. This was the moment when Marlene really started to cook up the fantasy in her head. Sirius was the father. Harriet was the daughter. And she was the mother. "Where were you trying to go, Harry? We're in London. Have you ever heard of it?"_

 _"Mummy took me to the unicorns when I was a baby," she mumbled as her eyes started to droop. "Because the Great Snake burned my head."_

 _"Let her sleep," Marlene whispered. She would never admit it, but at that moment, she was jealous of Lily. She wanted to be Harriet's mum. But she wasn't. A mother wouldn't have made such a stupid mistake._

* * *

Narcissa gulped as she watched Harriet prance around Bella's long dead garden. The Dark Lord was planning an Azkaban breakout, and she was fearful of how her sister would confront her about her lack of loyalty. There was no point in sacrificing one's self for another.

Except for one's child.

The Malfoys bread peacocks. When Bella got married, she had taken a liken to raising crows. Narcissa hated them and had killed a few that had tried to attack Draco when he was a baby. They were vicious, evil creatures.

They were playing with Harriet Potter as if they were common household pets.

The Dark Lord was gone for the moment, and Narcissa was eager to see what the girl was like when she wasn't near him. From the way Severus had described her, she was some kind of criminal mastermind. Narcissa found herself disappointed. _This_ was Dumbledore's hope? This or Longbottom?

Narcissa almost turned to leave until she noticed something. The girl was watching her out of the corner of her eye. Some of the crows were watching her too, even though Potter had a hand full of seed. One returned to her from Merlin knew where and was rewarded with a smile and first pick of the seed. They were doing her bidding.

Hesitantly, Narcissa took a step closer to the girl. By the time she was halfway across the garden, she stopped because all the crows were staring at her. She was almost reminded of Bella when she was getting ready to fight.

Harriet's eyes were wide, but not full of innocence. Narcissa detected fear and a hint of determination that was almost swallowed by it. She didn't move and neither did the crows.

"Hello," Narcissa said quietly but firmly. She didn't know what to make of the girl, but… she had married Lucius to get away from people like Bella and her parents. When the Dark Lord was around, she feared Lucius was becoming just like them, someone who enjoyed torture, someone who was willing to die for the Dark Lord.

The girl blinked but didn't say anything until one of the crows squawked. "They don't like you."

"And why do you think that is?" Narcissa asked lightly.

Potter considered for a moment, and Narcissa waited for either pure insanity or something eerily accurate to come out of her mouth. Instead, she simply said, "I don't know. They're very temperamental."

"Hmmm…" Narcissa didn't mind the Dark Lord before she had Draco. Lucius made his own choices, and although she loved him, she didn't always have to stand by him. However, she had always intended to, until Draco was born. The Dark Lord would easily kill her son, if it meant he could get what he wanted.

"What do you want?" Potter wasn't stupid. Rash, but not stupid. Perhaps she was merely young. Poor Severus.

Narcissa took a step closer, causing the crows' stares to intensify. She didn't want to risk being heard, but there was no one around. The crows who were flying to Harriet and back were looking in the windows. Someone was watching, but at too much of a distance to be able to hear or cast a charm to allow them to. She could easily make something up. "I can help you, if you promise to protect Draco upon your release."

The girl frowned and hesitated, but her heart was pure, just like her mudblood mother's. "I promise."

* * *

 _It was a dream. Severus knew it but couldn't shake himself out of it. He knew he should have taken a Dreamless Sleep potion, but after going a few days without sleep, he was too exhausted to care about what nightmares had awaited him._

 _"Why'd you buy this house if you don't like to hike?" Harriet was teasing him as they trekked along into a wooded area. Severus looked behind him to see a rather large, country side cottage._

 _Because she would hate spending the rest of her days in Spinner's End. Instead, Severus said, "I needed a bigger library."_

 _Harriet smiled. She had very faint laugh lines around her eyes, proving that she was older. He liked them. They were also proof that she had been happy over the past few years. "I don't believe that. And neither does Laila."_

 _There was a redheaded toddler sleepily rubbing her eyes on Harriet's hip. She was staring at him, waiting for his rebuttal. The girl was all Harriet, except for her eyes. Before Severus could get too freaked out, someone else joined in._

 _"Mummy!" The boy was an absolute mess. Severus wondered if his black hair would've been greasy if it wasn't dusty from dirt. He opened his palm to reveal a rather large beetle. When it started buzzing rather loudly, he erupted into a fit of giggles. He couldn't have been more than eight. "Look what I found!"_

 _The toddler held out a drool covered hand. The beetle must have sensed the destruction the little monster was capable of because it seemed to be in a hurry when it flew away. The boy… His son moaned in disappointment._

 _"Well what were you going to do with it?" Harriet asked. "You have to let it be free to do as it pleases."_

 _"I guess," he grumbled._

 _"C'mon!" Harriet passed the toddler to Severus. "I'll race you to the big tree!"_

 _As soon as they started running away, reality came crashing down, and Severus remembered where Harriet actually was. "Wait! HARRIET!"_

 _The scene darkened to the point that Severus could barely see. As his eyes adjusted, Severus realized he was no longer heading into a forest. They were in a castle. The baby buried her face into his neck._

 _Harriet was pale, looking like a vampire in a lacy black dress. She was sitting on a thrown beside the Dark Lord, and although Severus could tell that this was somehow the same point in time as the first part of the dream, she looked as young as ever as she stared straight through him. Neither she or the Dark Lord acknowledged him, only the boy standing between them. He was the same age as the other, but instead of messy, he was spotless in a rather expensive looking suit. He smiled at Severus in a way that told him he wasn't a boy, he was much more. He pointed his wand at Severus._

 _"Avada Kedavra!"_

Severus woke up with a start. The clock told him that he had only slept a few hours, but he didn't care. He had to save Harriet.

* * *

 _A few years ago, he wasn't having much luck finding food. Well, he was having a hard time_ _ **catching**_ _food. As a result, Peter made the foolish mistake of travelling deeper into the Forbidden Forest. Within an hour, he was being attack by a medium sized Acromantula._

 _When the tornado hit them, Peter couldn't breathe and couldn't see more than a few twigs. The sound of Acromantula screeching filled his ears, and before he could focus enough to think he was going to die, the small tornado died down. Instead of stopping to thank his lucky stars, Peter pointed his wand at the twitching beast before him._

 _"STOP!" Harriet. He should've known. If she was at Hogwarts, her magic would be starting to mature. He had been having to erase more and more memories lately. "It's stunned!"_

 _"It tried to kill me," Peter said slowly as her eyes filled with tears._

 _"Because we crossed into their lands!" she cried. She shrieked with horror when he ignored her and set it on fire. "DADDY!"_

 _"I am king," he said simply. "This is my forest."_

 _Although she had cried for hours and refused to speak to him for two days, Peter let her keep this memory. He didn't want her to forget how important she thought all life was. The giant spider had tried to kill him and would have killed her if she had let it. However, she still grieved deeply for the unnecessary loss._

 _Peter wanted her to remember that pain, so that no matter how much he hurt her, she would never dream of doing the same to him._

* * *

Harriet felt terrible. She had agreed to help "Draco," but had no idea who he was. How could she keep her promise if she didn't know who she had to protect? She should have asked, but she was afraid that if she didn't know, that woman would refuse to help her. She suspected he was the blonde man who sat near the Great Snake, but she wasn't sure.

The woman's name was Narcissa, and she was a lot like some people thought Harriet was. She played dumb while she was truly cunning and manipulative. Harriet frowned as she watched Narcissa put on a big show, acting like she thought Harriet's union with the Great Snake was real. She insisted that it was improper for them to share a bed before the wedding.

"She is very beautiful," Narcissa allowed. "But we must do things properly, my lord. Only mudbloods procreate before marriage."

The Great Snake's lips twitched, and he spoke to Narcissa rather slowly, as if that will help her understand. "I am above propriety."

"And you are above temptations of the flesh," Narcissa said slyly. The Great Snake narrowed his eyes, but she didn't waiver. Then, she added with a lowered voice, "And if she wasn't so close to you, Severus might _think_ it is easier to rescue his little princess."

Harriet froze with her spoon half way to her mouth. When Great Snake wasn't gone, she was forced to stay mere feet away from him at all times. She was too afraid to even look at Severus when he was in the same room as her.

But what if Severus fell for it? Was that even the plan? Narcissa said she was on her side the other day but… Her husband, the man she assumed was Draco, was a servant of the Great Snake.

"Interesting…" The Great Snake considered this, and Harriet decided it was best to remain silent. "What are you suggesting, Cissa?"

Narcissa paused. "If Harriet was to share quarters with Pettigrew…" Her nose wrinkled like she was disgusted with having to say Daddy's name. "It will be a matter of time before Severus decides to overpower him."

The Great Snake grinned while Harriet blanched. "And I'll be waiting." She had to warn Severus. "Who will cave first, Harriet?"

"He doesn't love me." Harriet didn't even sound convincing to herself. "I hate him."

* * *

 _"Your birthday is in a few months." They were in his room, one of the last nights they had together before Harriet decided to put her stupid plan into motion. Harriet drew the covers to her chin. His room was very cold and dark. She wasn't sure if she liked it, even though it wasn't much different from her and Daddy's cave in that respect. "Have you ever celebrated it?"_

 _"What?" She knew what birth meant, but, well, she was already born._

 _"How do you keep track of how old you are?" he asked curiously._

 _Harriet sat up and snapped, "I can count!" Lupin thought she couldn't. Just because she couldn't match the symbols to the numbers didn't mean she couldn't count!_

 _Severus raised his eyebrows at her tone but otherwise ignored it. "I never said you couldn't. We celebrate the anniversary of the day a person was born. Anniversary means… Forget it."_

 _Harriet pouted, but Severus seemed to have already gotten over it. "A year is over when the summer ends. I've been alive seventeen summers. This is my eighteenth summer. How many summers have you been alive?"_

 _That got him interested again. "You don't know how old I am?"_

 _"No." There were much more important things to think about._

 _"Thirty eight," he said cautiously. Then he waited. For what, Harriet didn't know. "I'm your parents' age."_

 _Then, he waited again. It took Harriet a moment to realize what was bothering him so much. "You're going to die first!"_

 _"Hopefully," he said dryly. Never mind then… "Such an age difference is considered abnormal. Some might say disturbing."_

 _"Like you're my father?" Harriet grinned when he flinched. If Mummy returned his feelings, he would've been. "You don't feel like my father, do you?"_

 _"God no." He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her slowly, forcing her to drop the subject he brought up. Would he ever be able to kiss her again?_

It was the last time he had kissed her, and Harriet couldn't stop thinking about it. She connected it to everything she could, even when she was face to face with the man who she used to think was her father. She would never think of him as Peter but…

"Do you see yourself as my father?" she asked. Thanks to Narcissa, she was sharing a room with Daddy instead of the Great Snake. His bed was by the door while hers was next to the window. She wouldn't be able to do anything without him knowing.

She expected him to say he did, even if it was a lie. Before he even opened his mouth, Harriet was struggling with deciding to believe him or not.

Instead, he threw her for a loop by whispering urgently, "We have to get out of here."

 **Thank you Guest for reviewing!**


	13. Back to Square One

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 13 Back to Square One

"What are you doing?" Severus asked. He found Narcissa in a dress shop and pretended to be looking at a cloak as he waited for her answer.

"Playing both sides," she said demurely. "Like you."

"Excuse me?"

Narcissa purred in delight as she ran her fingers over a silk scarf that probably cost more than he made in a week. "What will you do if the girl dies? Throw yourself over her funeral pyre? No. You will continue to be of service to whoever will keep you alive. And if our master were to fall…" She laughed to herself. "I'd pay to see your wedding, Severus."

There was no reason to admit to anything. Narcissa thought they were one in the same, and it was in his best interest to let her continue to believe that. Perhaps he should threaten to expose her…

"Draco won't be so appreciative of a dead mother," he said coolly. "You're too stupid to not stay in the background, Cissa."

Narcissa reluctantly tore herself away from the scarf to study him. When she was done, she laughed again. "You don't need to be afraid, Severus. We're going to win no matter what."

 _What a stupid woman,_ Severus thought as he sat in his office, brooding later that night. Worse, she thought she was one of the smartest, that she could actually fool the Dark Lord. He had almost given up on the idea of her aid when he had hung up his cloak for the night. Something was in his pocket.

 _Harriet wants you to leave as many red spiders as you can find in the greenhouse._

Perhaps he had underestimated Narcissa Malfoy…

* * *

Sirius couldn't believe that Marlene had dared to show her face. Bags hung under her eyes, and her hair was limp from lack of washing. For once, she wore no makeup, making her no longer look like she was only a few years older than Harriet. That combined with the stress made her look like Sirius, meaning a good ten years older than she actually was.

"I never… I never got the chance to tell you I was sorry," she said quietly. Her hopeless tone matched Grimmauld, which once again felt like a prison. The house was as quiet and tense as it was during his childhood.

"And you wouldn't want to not tell me anything, would you?" Sirius snapped. He couldn't help it. He wouldn't forgive her until Harriet was home. And even then… He'd only forgive her because he knew Harriet would make him. She wouldn't understand. She was too kind.

Marlene ran her hands through her greasy hair. "I'm sorry… I never would have dreamed that she…" The woman he once loved sighed and gave up on any excuses. "I'm sorry."

"We should've let Umbridge place her in the hospital." Sirius clenched his fists at their stupidity. "She wasn't fit to be on her own. Tying her bloody shoes was too complicated for her! And we thought it was a good idea for her to be declared mentally fit? She—"

"She wouldn't have been happy," Marlene said gently. She stepped forward like she wanted to hug him, but thankfully she knew better. "She—"

"Would've been safe!" Sirius yelled. Did Marlene really think what they did was a better alternative? How could she? "I wish she had never met you."

Marlene's eyes widened with hurt that Sirius sadistically savored. It was her fault that Harriet figured out how to get into this bloody mess, and she knew it. "I'm sorry."

* * *

Harriet had developed a nervous habit. Frankly, Severus was surprised that it took this long, considering all she had been through. Still, he couldn't bear to watch her tear her hair out during meetings.

She would sit perfectly still, and Severus thought nothing was out of the ordinary as she twisted a lock of hair between her fingers. Then, she would tense and pull. That was when he noticed the tiny bald patch just above her forehead. No one acknowledged it.

He held his breath when she started playing with a smaller strand, but she didn't pull it out until the Dark Lord started to speak.

"My more loyal followers will be joining us soon," he announced to the room. He surveyed them with disgust. "Everyone must be present."

Was this a trap? Harriet paused from newly destructive habit as Pettigrew whispered something in her ear. Her eyes widened as she was most likely given a description of Azkaban.

They had been completely reunited for nearly a week. From the looks of things, Harriet once again only spoke to him. Him and the Dark Lord.

"That includes you too, Severus," the Dark Lord said coolly, relishing in catching him staring at Harriet. "Can I expect your attendance?"

It would be the perfect opportunity to rescue Harriet. At most there would be Pettigrew and a few Death Eaters keeping guard. The Dark Lord saw her as a toy, not a true threat. That was the only reason she was still alive.

"Of course my lord," Severus lied. They were finally going to be able to save her. He tried to ignore the flicker of fear in Harriet's eyes as she reached for the hair closest to her neck. Was she afraid for him or afraid _of_ him? Severus could only imagine what Pettigrew was telling her.

The Dark Lord smirked, clearly not believing him. This was a trap, but Severus hoped that they would have a small window of opportunity. Narcissa had taken a liken to Harriet and—

"Lucius will stay behind with you, Wormtail," the Dark Lord went on. Narcissa frowned slightly but otherwise did not react. "And only Lucius."

"My…" Narcissa most likely hadn't dueled since her fifth year. She made OWLs for Defense Against the Dark Arts, but she wanted nothing more than to be Mrs. Lucius Malfoy and saw no reason to continue that area of her education. However she knew better than to protest any further. "When will we complete the mission, my lord, if I may ask?"

"Everyone will be summoned when the time is right. Harriet?" The Dark Lord smiled. She had ceased the hair pulling to focus on him. "You are banned from the gardens. Anyone who sees you near them will slice off your scalp so you can pull no more of that pretty hair out."

"Why?" she asked lightly. The entire room seemed to still.

The Dark Lord slowly rose from his seat. Now was not the time to be brave, Severus thought. They were so bloody close, and she was challenging him! With a few steps, he was towering over her.

"You are making explosives in the greenhouse," he said quietly. In a flash, his wand was poking her in the throat. Harriet shook slightly but didn't try to flee, even when the Dark Lord silently cast a curse, and she started to cry blood. "Anyone pretending to help you is only loyal to themselves. They do not care about you."

Harriet opened her mouth to retort but only blood poured out. The Dark Lord removed his wand, but she did not dare try to speak again. Thick blood dripped down her chin. "I will decide when you are able to speak again without bleeding internally, Harriet. Perhaps when I return with my most loyal followers."

She would not be able to speak until the Dark Lord removed the curse. So if she escaped before he did, she would never be able to speak again. She knew nothing of curse breakers and couldn't communicate through writing. In her mind, she was never going to speak again.

Severus silently begged her to look at him, even though it could very likely result in the end for them both. Thankfully, Harriet was too deep in thought to even consider. After a moment, she started ripping out small pieces of her hair again. Anyone else would've seen it as defeat, but Severus knew better. She was planning on leaving her voice behind.

* * *

"They will kill me." Peter did not want to escape with Harriet like this. His only friend in the world, his daughter, couldn't speak. He could only imagine how lonely his life was going to be from now on. "I cannot join their world. They are not as kind as you."

But he couldn't let her die. Life would be so much better for him if he were to let her die. He didn't necessarily have to be there… Perhaps he could make some sort of excuse or try to go on his own mission for the Dark Lord. It would be easier if Harriet wasn't right there in front of him. Why couldn't he just let her die?

He let James die. And Lily. So the Dark Lord could kill Harriet. But that was before. Before she started calling him _Da_ instead of _Pee_. Before he took her fishing for the first time. Before he heard her shrieks of laughter as he played with her in the Forest.

As he thought about their life together, Harriet pointed to the crows nesting outside their window. She wanted to know if he still wanted to go through with the plan. Why did she have to disrespect the Dark Lord? She didn't have to go to the greenhouse to carry out the plan!

That was it. Harriet grinned when it dawned on him. The Dark Lord thought she did because he didn't know about her loyal little messengers. He thought she was upset at having to give up the plan and that that was why she had talked back to him.

But the Dark Lord also knew that Harriet was just as much of a Slytherin as he was. He wanted her to have motivation to stay, to continue the never ending game of torture until he grew bored.

"You're going to have to choose between me and Civilization," he whispered. Harriet's face fell at that. "I had hoped that since you came here, for _me_ , that the choice was obvious."

It wasn't. Harriet shrugged and opened the window. A crow handed her a mouthful of red spiders. Another brought her some twigs and a few herbs.

"I took you," Peter admitted for the first time. "Everything they told you about me is true." Harriet froze, even though he knew that she knew the truth. This was not fresh news, and there was no denying it. Instead, he had to make her forgive him. "That is why they are going to kill me. There is no Forest Kingdom. I as good as killed your mother and father. I took you because I knew that they wouldn't kill me if you were hidden somewhere only I could find. I've killed so many people."

Harriet stared. Then, her eyes filled tears that were still pink as from the wearing off side effect of the Dark Lord's curse. She shook her head, silently pleading with him to stop "lying." For once, he was telling the truth, and she didn't want believe him.

Peter took a deep breath. "If you want me to die, you will go with Severus." There was an unspoken _after we escape_. They couldn't take risks by talking about it right now. "You've heard what they said about me. You know they will kill me. And now you know that there is no persuading them otherwise."

Harriet shook her head, but he could see that she understood, even though she didn't want to. She whispered, "I'll—" She whimpered as a trail of blood leaked out of her mouth. "follow you. Always."

She started coughing uncontrollably and made a dreadful mess all over the floor, but Peter didn't care. He had his daughter back.

* * *

Severus wasn't a fool. He knew this was a trap. They had maybe ten seconds. Probably not even that. The Dark Lord was probably going to apparate with his followers and apparate back as soon as he sent foot onto Lestrange Manor.

William Weasley could barely get halfway through the wards before the Dark Lord returned. Well, at least they were ready for a fight. At this moment, Harriet was a bit like an actual princess, he thought as Weasley managed to tear down the wards in between Killing and Torture Curses sent his way. Trapped in a castle, battles being fought over her. She was probably stuck watching from the sideli—

Severus was on the ground before he realized why. A high pitched ringing filled his ears as his vision was clouded with white smoke. Somewhere in the distance, he heard Narcissa scream.

As he coughed more than breathed, Albus magically cleared the smoke. Since he wasn't ready, his eyes were now covered with dirt along with his throat. After rubbing his eyes, he saw nothing. Literally nothing. Lestrange Manor was reduced to rubble.

There was something, however. Severus felt a bubble of hope when he saw a tornado in the middle of the mess. Perhaps it had shielded Harriet from the destruction. Without thinking that the Dark Lord was watching, he stumbled for it.

But it only died down to reveal, of all people, Lucius Malfoy, who was lying unconscious on the ground with a gash in his head. He was still breathing, but his eyes didn't open until Narcissa ran to him.

"What happened?" he wheezed just as the Killing Curse zoomed passed him, missing Severus by mere inches.

Severus turned robotically to see the Dark Lord staring at him with wide eyes as the battle began. He didn't know where Harriet was either.

* * *

There were two bodies found at Lestrange Manor. Black had tripped over them during the battle. A male and a female, covered in dust. However, they eventually had to retreat, so there was no recovery. Severus refused to believe it the dead woman was Harriet.

"It wa-wasn't her!" Black sobbed. No one else believed it. Great. Now he only had the deranged bully on his side.

"Sirius," Remus said gently. "She wasn't in as much control of her magic as she thought—"

"Either way, she promised us protection," Narcissa said stiffly. The Dark Lord didn't take to kindly to Lucius being protected from the explosion by Harriet, so the Malfoys had somehow managed to tag along when they apparated back to Hogsmeade. "We will aide you, of course—"

"I can't believe you did this!" Lucius snapped. "Putting all your faith in that girl! Draco told you that she was retard—"

"SHUT UP!" Severus screamed. "SHE WAS NOT! YOU SHOULD HAVE STUNNED HER INSTEAD OF ASSUMING—"

"She was too fast," Lucius mumbled, looking away. "One minute we were eating. The next, a wine bottle was connecting with my forehead. She was mumbling to herself! I thought she was having some of psychotic break! She probably was! Excuse me for being distracted! And-and I don't have to explain anything to you! You betrayed…"

But Severus had stopped listening. She was praying. So she knocked out Lucius, cast a tornado around him to protect him, and left. The Dark Lord had mentioned that she was making explosives. Obviously she had been successful, no matter how much Lupin theorized that she grew desperate and unsuccessfully used magic that Pettigrew taught her to cause the explosions. That didn't make sense. Pettigrew could do that himself, and probably did. Harriet most likely made the explosives to speed up the job.

"So where are they?" Severus mumbled to himself as Black and Lucius started arguing.

"Don't." Lupin sounded pained. Bloody idiot. "Don't do this to Sirius, please."

Do what? Harriet was alive. Black wasn't delusional. She was out there somewhere. He could feel it.

* * *

They were back in the Forest Kingdom. Well, Harriet supposed she couldn't call it that anymore, but she couldn't think of it was the Forbidden Forest either. It would always be home to her.

After about a month, they settled deep within the Forest, near the territory of the giant spiders, and about half a day's walk from the nearest unicorn herd. Harriet shivered, despite the dying summer heat.

"They won't suspect this," Daddy mumbled as he started a fire. "Especially since they think we're dead."

Did they? Harriet thought. She hoped not. At least she had kept Narcissa's promise and protected Draco, if that man was Draco.

Daddy said that they had been in forests all over the world for the past month, but Harriet did know if she should believe him. He said he was telling her the truth _now_ , but she didn't know if she could even believe that. He had already admitted that he was a liar.

But she was a liar too, she supposed. She had changed into a mouse and scurried off with Daddy long before the explosives went off. She ran past Severus and everyone else as they sent the magic that kept them on the castle's grounds crashing down. Did he see her? She squeaked, so he must have. He had to. Surely everyone didn't think she was dead. They couldn't have. There weren't any bodies.

* * *

As one day melted into another, Severus turned to an old comfort, books. A month flew by. Then another. Somehow, he became convinced that Harriet was in the Forbidden Forest. He had no proof, and even Black didn't believe him and was wasting his wealth hiring search parties to look all over the forests of England and Scotland. Severus had a better idea.

"I know you're out here!" he yelled to the trees. Unsurprisingly, he heard nothing. There was a unicorn herd nearby, so he figured that eventually, Harriet would hear him. "I-I won't kill him! Just come out!"

Severus waited. A few crows squawked at him disrupting the peace but otherwise, nothing.

He had researched the curse the Dark Lord placed on her. William Weasley could remove it in a matter of minutes. It was an old curse and therefore, was easily broken, thanks to modern magic. So she was voiceless because of that spineless rat.

"I'm going to leave this here," he yelled. There was a potion that could treat the curse as well, but she would have to take it weekly. He waited again. "It will help you speak, so please take it. I'm not going to hurt you. I know that deep down, you believe that, no matter what he's told you. You're… You have thoughts in your head, Harriet. Don't forget that!"

* * *

There were advantages to not being able to speak. Harriet couldn't stop to pray when she hunted, even though she wanted to. Surely the God of Life knew how she felt about killing animals.

It was getting cold, and although Harriet felt like she was committing the worst sin, Daddy wanted her to take down a stag. He didn't want them to starve. She had to do it.

Harriet pulled back her arrow. She didn't forget how to make a bow and arrow, even though it had been over a year. However, even though it had only been a few months, she could no longer spell her name, no matter how hard she tried to think of it. Harrt? No… That wasn't right… And what did those letters look like? She had no clue.

"I know you're going to find it." Harriet froze and her eyes widened. Severus. "This potion will give you seven days of speaking without bleeding, Harriet. And I know you're here. Those fucking pixies won't stop following me."

She was behind a tree, so he couldn't see her. Harriet gulped. They were going to kill Daddy. He told her. And they wouldn't make it quick either. They would rip his soul from his body and let him starve to death. Civilization was evil. She couldn't let anything happen to him. Severus would surely want Daddy dead.

But she was so happy that the Great Snake didn't kill Severus. And Daddy was wrong. He didn't think she was dead. He even knew where she was.

She wanted to run towards him and kiss him and tell him that she was sorry. He would finally tell her that he loved her, and he would take her back to Black and Lupin. They could paint again, and Lupin could show her the letters. They would look familiar, and she'd spell her name again. Ms. Marlene would show her how to use a wand and—

"I love you." Harriet held her breath at his words. She had been wanting to hear that for so long. Why couldn't she run to him? "No one is angry with you. We just want you back."

Harriet closed her eyes. Crying was for babies. She shouldn't cry. She would show him. She would show him that she was here, and then she'd run away. He wouldn't be able to catch her, but at least, he would know that he was right. Daddy would never know…

"I'm here!" Immediately, Harriet started coughing. At the sound of Severus's voice, she had forgotten about the curse. Hot blood soaked her glove, and she expected Severus to catch her. Daddy was going to die, and it was all her fault!

But Severus was already gone. He didn't stay long. Half a dozen pixies danced around her, and one handed her the vial from Severus. If she took it, he would know.

Daddy wouldn't want her to take it. She should tell him about this, so they could go deeper into the Forest.

Blood from her glove dripped on the stump where Severus had placed the vial. She could easily rinse away all the evidence. Daddy would want her to. A pixie laughed in her ear.

Harriet pursed her lips and stood there for what felt like hours but was really only a few minutes. A pixie yawned with impatience and unscrewed the cork on the vial. With a smile to match the pixies', Harriet drank the potion.

* * *

"She is alive!" Severus yelled at the next Order meeting. He was no longer a spy. He should have been destroying Horcruxes with Lucius, Narcissa, Lupin, and Dumbledore. Instead, he spent all his time brewing temporary cures for Harriet. People spoke to him with same gentle voice that was reserved for Black, who was quickly losing hope and had taken to drinking.

"Severus." Lupin spoke barely above a whisper. "There was a terrible storm last night. You can't expect that vial to remain in place. It probably blew away in the wind. Remember last week? When we found a feral cat playing with it?"

"This was different," Severus insisted. "The pixies had it this time."

"And you know that they are incredibly cruel." Lupin glanced at Black, who was, as always, in a drunken stupor. "You need to stop."

Severus narrowed his eyes. He didn't have to listen to the likes of him. "Never."

* * *

"Is something the matter, princess?" Daddy asked as she sulked, thinking she wouldn't answer. Six months went by, and she had yet to tell him, had yet to speak to him, which made Harriet miserable. She used to tell him everything. Instead, she found herself lying.

"I was making juice, and the unicorns cried in it," she said. "And now…"

"You can talk!" he said gleefully.

Harriet nodded. She picked up a stick and started drawing in the dirt. Was that what an H looked like? Was it a big one or a small one?

"That's a b." Daddy sounded surprised. Harriet froze. That wasn't an h… She thought it might be a little one. "Were you learning how to write?"

"I forget. The letters." Maybe now, he would teacher her, Harriet thought hopefully. It would mean so much to her if she could spell her name.

But Daddy only shrugged. "You don't need it anyway. We should celebrate! What do you want me to catch?"

"I don't like to eat meat." In Civilization, she didn't have to. In the Forest Kingdom, she did to survive. However, if this was a celebration for her, Daddy would surely let it go for one night.

Daddy raised his eyebrows. "I'll catch some fish."

Harriet didn't know why, but she was angry with Daddy. He was right though. She didn't need the letters anymore, and she had to eat meat.

She was so angry with him that she could…

But she didn't.

She waited behind the tree as Severus made his usual speech. She couldn't let Daddy die even if she was angry with him. Severus had to understand.

"You are everything you said they were!" Harriet cried the next day. She was still angry. "You are no king!"

"I am your father!" he yelled. He wasn't even that. "I could have let you die back there! But I didn't!"

"Why?" she asked desperately. She needed to hear a selfish reason. Then, she could go back to Civilization without feeling guilty.

"Because I love you."

Harriet's eyes filled with tears. She couldn't go back. She couldn't let him be killed.

"Harriet," Daddy said tiredly. "Crying is for babies."

She had to go back. He was manipulating her like everyone said. She knew this. However, Harriet fell for it every time. He even let her start using magic. She became queen because he said that they were equals now. Harriet was so confused.

She didn't leave the Forest for two more years.

 **Thank you Almonda and Guest for reviewing!**

 **Poor Severus! I was going to do a time skip to when Harriet returns, but would you guys like a glimpse into those two years? Let me know!**


	14. His Knight on a White Unicorn

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 14 His Knight on a White… Unicorn

It was late. Their meat supply was running low, and soon, they'd only have frozen berries and other dried plants. Harriet didn't want to go home empty handed, no matter how much her teeth chattered.

At the sound of a twig snapping, she spun around, arrow ready. Perhaps she was too close to Civilization…

It was one of the centaurs. Harriet didn't know his name because Daddy said to stay away from them. They were evil, more evil than the giant spiders. She tightened her grip on her arrow. She couldn't recall them ever being alone.

"Harriet." The centaur looked down on her, like she was a mosquito. "You have returned." A year ago. He took a step towards her, and she took a step back. "But you are as weak as ever I see."

"What do you want?" Harriet said as bravely as she could. Daddy said that they would trample her the first chance they got. Centaurs hated humans. "Did I stumble upon your hunting grounds?"

"No. I seem to have stumbled upon yours." The centaur smiled meanly. "What are you going to do about it?"

Nothing. Nothing and he knew it. Harriet swallowed, wondering if she should retreat. If she hurt him, the rest of them could come after her. For all she knew, they could be watching right now. She should lower her arrow, pretend to have her guard down. She didn't. "You never answered my first question."

The centaur turned away from her and looked at the stars. "The humans are fighting a war out there. Your humans. And you left them behind."

Almost involuntarily, Harriet's shoulders slumped. Even if they did miss her, it didn't matter if she wasn't there during a war against the Great Snake. She proved last year that she would only mess everything up. "I just get in the way."

"The stars say otherwise."

"What do you want?" Harriet repeated, angry now. They had never spoken before, but somehow he knew all her insecurities and regrets.

The centaur snorted. "My brothers are looking forward to the humans killing each other. When they are gone, the forests can grow once again instead of being cut down… Their bloodlust is causing them to ignore the stars."

The stars always looked the same to Harriet, unless it was cloudy of course. She was tempted to say that the stars didn't talk and vaguely remembered Severus yelling at her that pixies couldn't talk. The memory almost made her smile. She missed him so much.

"In less than two years," the centaur went on, "darkness will descend upon Hogwarts. A darkness that will enter the Forest. My brothers do not see that."

"Then why don't you tell them?" Harriet asked, already knowing the answer. Either they wouldn't believe him or they wouldn't care.

"You can defeat the darkness." He never took his eyes off the sky. "It's been in the stars since before you were born. Even before your parents were born."

"I cannot." This was one thing she was sure about. She couldn't fight with magic. When she used a wand, it took her hours to _almost_ do the simplest of tasks. She was too weak to defeat the Great Snake. Last year's events proved that. The stars were wrong.

As if he sensed her last thought, the centaur glared at her. "I will show you."

* * *

They had just returned from breaking into Bellatrix's vault. Severus vaguely wondered if it counted as breaking in because Narcissa had her sister under the Imperious Curse the entire time as she withdrew the horcrux, so technically, they didn't have to force their way in. Severus still couldn't believe that she had killed Bellatrix at the end of the ordeal. He had severely underestimated that woman…

"You're back." Black had turned into a near invalid from his drinking. If Dumbledore was to be believed, there were only a few horcruxes left. It was almost over, and there was still no sign of Harriet.

"Yes," Severus said slowly, surprised at the sight of a slightly clear headed Black. A sober Black was a rarity these days. Halloween had passed… Harriet's birthday wasn't for months. The defeated man clung to such days, as if they would influence Harriet, who only knew the seasons, to return.

Black reached into the pocket of his wrinkled, faded blue cloak, and Severus vaguely wondered when the last time the man bathed was. He pulled out a small jar that contained the ghostly essence of the memory. "I-I want a new one. A new memory of Harriet. You're the only one who believes… I figured we could trade."

Greedily, Severus snatched the jar out of Black's hands, only to realize the price. He wasn't sure if he had a memory of Harriet that didn't either have her chasing after him or, having won him over, kissing him. He preferred to have all of his original teeth.

"I don't care," Black said quietly. "I know that she loved you, but I don't care." He forced himself to smile. "She's rather looney, isn't she?"

Black was only saying that because she was gone, and he desperately wanted to see her. There was one memory he could recall off the top of his head, where they weren't physical, but she still said she loved him. He had yet to admit anything, and he doubted Black would be so kind when Harriet returned. _If_ Harriet returned. As much as he knew she was alive, Severus didn't know if she would ever return to them.

"You first."

 _"What's that noise?" Harriet was curious, but for once, not confused. Severus hated it when she was embarrassed about not understanding something._

 _It was when they were spending Christmas at Black's, and Nymphadora was playing Christmas carols for her baby._ _Harriet was sitting beside them, sipping hot chocolate and making a face at the sweetness._

 _"_ Jingle bells _!" Nymphadora sang as she tickled her son. "It's Teddy's favorite!"_

 _"Your favorite was_ Do You Hear What I Hear? _For some reason," Black informed her as he tried to shove another present at her. "You wouldn't stop laughing whenever Lily put the record on."_

 _Harriet looked at him blankly, until Lupin put it together. Well, he wasn't the brains of the operation for nothing. "It's called music, Harriet. Songs. Did you ever sing any growing up?"_

 _Harriet wrinkled her nose, and Severus almost laughed. It always amused him when she thought everyone else was being clueless. "I'm not a bird!"_

 _McKinnon nudged Black, who was trying to get Harriet to open the gift. "Put the song on!"_

 _With a few grumbles, Black tapped his wand on the old radio. She frowned as the song came on, but as soon as Bing Crosby sang the words, "Do you hear what I hear?" Harriet erupted into a fit of giggles._

 _"Why does he say it like that?!" she yelled in between laughs. Severus tried to recall the last time he heard her laugh. His memories weren't as clear as this._

 _"She likes this more than the Firebolt," Black muttered as she continued to laugh._

 _"Can you imagine not knowing what music is?" McKinnon whispered._

 _Harriet grabbed Black's arm, the closest to physical affection she had ever showed him at that point. "Are there any others?"_

 _Black blinked in surprise. This was the first time she ever eagerly wanted to know more about something without having guilt attached to it. "Yes… This song isn't over yet, Harry."_

 _"We can always play it again! Please!"_

Black laughed despite the tears in his eyes as they pulled away from the pensieve. "The way her face lit up when she heard that song… For a second, I thought she remembered."

"She probably did, subconsciously." _Was she forgetting?_ Severus wondered. Surely she'd never forget about them. But what if another seventeen years passed? Less than a year wouldn't matter to someone who was in their thirties, especially if they were brainwashed into believing that year was something else entirely.

"I hope so." Black smiled to himself. "Remus doesn't like it when I do this."

"Because he wants you to move on." This would be the perfect opportunity to dissuade Black from wanting a memory in return. But for some reason, he couldn't. He hated Black but… He put his wand to his temple. "Here."

 _"Why are you following me, Harriet?" Black and Lupin were nowhere to be found, making Severus wonder if she had drugged them again. It was nearly spring, and he needed a few ingredients for his NEWTs class. Like a magnet, Harriet found him as soon as he set off to find unicorn hair._

 _"Lupin and Black are off with the oddly shaped woman." Harriet frowned. "Why_ _ **is**_ _she shaped like that?"_

 _"I don't know," he drawled. "Why are you shaped like a twig?"_

 _"I-I am not!" But Harriet still laughed at the comparison. "I think her name's Umbridge. Miss Marlene likes to yell at her."_

 _"Who doesn't?" Severus muttered. He stopped at the edge of the Forest. "I would prefer not to be murdered by Black, Harriet. Go back to where you're supposed to be."_

 _Harriet, the little devil, pointed to the tower that held the headmaster's office. "Your king said I could go with you."_

 _"Of course he did…" Either Dumbledore had a sick sense of humor or was incredibly naïve. "I'll be gone all day. They'll be looking for you."_

 _"Your king says that you're looking for unicorn hair." So Albus was a match maker now? Severus wondered what Albus thought when he was called a king. Harriet smiled smugly. "So we'll get it together."_

 _"Oh joy." Severus jumped when Harriet hopped in front of him. "We are looking in the trees and bushes for stray hairs. That is all."_

 _"That sounds like it will take forever." Harriet laced her hand with his, and for a moment, Severus thought it was a display of affection, until she yanked him rather roughly towards the Forbidden Forest. "The nearest herd is almost half a day away! And that's if we run."_

 _"We will not." He should have lined up his lesson plans with that oaf Hagrid. The half giant was the only one who could draw them to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Then, he would have easily been able to get five or six hairs, ten if he was lucky._

 _"Lupin doesn't like to run either. At least Black tries." There was laughter in her voice, but after about half an hour of walking in comfortable silence, she sighed with impatience. "I haven't seen them in a while."_

 _"I'm sure they are waiting for you with baited breath," Severus said dryly._

 _Harriet rolled her eyes. "Have you found any yet?"_

 _"No."_

 _"Because your plan is awful."_

 _"Thank you."_

 _Harriet smirked. "Want to hear something funny?"_

 _"No."_

 _"Okay."_

 _They walked for the next few hours in blissful silence before Harriet couldn't contain her joke any longer. As they walked, she filled her pockets with enough herbs to keep Pomona satisfied for an entire term. Severus had to admit that she was rather skilled as she explained to him what she was going to use the herbs for. It was a shame she couldn't read. She would make a fine professor._

 _Then, when she thought it was getting rather warm, she reached in her pocket to tie up her hair, with a band that was clearly made from unicorn hair. She grinned as he glared at her. "Isn't it funny?"_

 _"Harriet, we've been walking for five hours." Severus reached for the pocket, and she jumped out of the way. It was probably stuffed with unicorn hair. "And you probably have enough unicorn hair to buy a small house."_

 _The concept of money was lost on her, but after a moment, she decided he meant that she had a lot. "Yes!"_

 _He made to grab her again, causing Harriet to laugh and break out in a full on sprint. Like a fool, he chased after her. He wasn't one to indulge in playfulness._

 _She slowed as she realized that he was going to get lost in a matter of minutes. After a while, she was merely jogging, but his lungs burned with the effort to catch up to her. The little devil then hid behind a tree and jumped on top of him as he tried to pass it._

 _"HARRIET!"_

 _With a content sigh, she reached into her pocket and took out a fist full of unicorn hair. More spilled on the ground. "They're always giving it to me, even though I don't need it." She was straddling his stomach and pulled her arm back when he reached for it. "You can have it. If you say that you love me."_

 _Severus clenched his jaw. He didn't say things like that, ever. She knew it and was trying to coerce the words out of him with bribery. A few minutes passed before her face fell, and she gave up. Frustrated, she threw the unicorn hair in his face and got off him._

Although he hated how the memory ended, he thought it would be a pleasant one for Black, Harriet angry with him for denying romantic feelings. That was at least how Black would interpret it. Severus would forever see it for what it was, him being a coward.

He never dreamed he would've been rewarded with a punch in the face.

"You couldn't even have done that right?" Black yelled as Severus nearly fell to the ground. "You couldn't even ruin everything right?"

"Excuse me?" But Black only cursed at him and stomped off. Severus didn't think that Black would want to see Harriet happy with him, but given the circumstances, he eventually realized the sad, almost pathetic truth. Black just wanted to see Harriet happy.

* * *

"It's not fair!" Harriet cried. His name was Firenze, and he claimed that he wanted to teach Harriet how to fight the Great Snake. She was beginning to wonder if this was an elaborate plot to trample her. "You have four legs!"

"You have magic." Firenze stopped and turned around when she gave up on their race and started panting. "It's clearly not going to come out on its own."

"Daddy's teaching me magic," she wheezed.

Firenze's lip curled in disgust at the mention of Daddy. "Learning to melt ice is not going to help you defeat the darkness. You have to be fast if you want to dodge spells. You can be faster than me, with magic."

It was getting dark, but Harriet would give it one more go. _One_ more. After gritting her teeth, Harriet straightened herself up again. _"Fine."_

Now Harriet knew he was going to trample her. As she looked over her shoulder during their race, he was coming straight for her after giving her a ten second head start. With a scream, she tripped over a root and tumbled to the ground. He didn't stop, causing Harriet to curl into a ball when she felt a rib break. By the time he was off her, her eye and wrist was starting to swell.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!" she shrieked. Although everything hurt, she forced herself to shakily stand up. "YOU COULD'VE KILLED ME!"

Firenze shrugged. _Shrugged_. Like he did nothing wrong. "Now that you have something to fear. You'll use magic next time."

"NEXT TIME?" she yelled. "What makes you think there's going to be a next time?!"

Firenze ignored her. "We'll find a unicorn to heal you, and we'll give it one more try."

"Again, what makes you think…" Harriet paused when she heard a wolf howl in the distance. Black and Lupin. What did they think happened to her? They never entered the Forest like Severus did. "You'll kill me."

"I wasn't putting all my weight on you." Somehow, that didn't make Harriet feel better. "No one has given up on you, Harriet. You owe them to not give up on yourself."

"They'll kill him," Harriet whispered. That was the only thing that stopped her every time she saw Severus. He was alive, but if she ran to him, Daddy wouldn't be.

Firenze didn't seem to care. She should leave, but he said the one thing that kept her from doing so. "If you don't defeat it, the darkness will kill them."

She had to keep going.

* * *

Sweat soaked her hair, and Harriet felt feverish as Firenze worked with her for hours. The fact that it was the end of winter didn't help. He was teaching her how to control the fire with her hands. She felt like they were going to fall off.

"What's she doing?" Harriet asked breathlessly. A unicorn was hobbling towards them. Usually, when she needed them to heal her, they had to find the nearest herd. Harriet screamed when she fell to the ground and ran for her.

"She's dying," Firenze said calmly. "Do not grieve. She's been alive for nearly a thousand years."

"That doesn't make it any less terrible!" Harriet cried as she reached out to touch it. The blood on her hands made her hesitate. She didn't want to sully her with her dirty, burned hands. After a moment, she gave up on such silliness and stroked her face. The unicorn closed her eyes at the small comfort. "Are you sick?"

"She's old." Firenze thinned his lips as the unicorn dropped her head into Harriet's lap. "And is making you an offering. Take it."

"What?" Crying was for babies, but Harriet didn't care and wiped her eyes. The salt from her tears made her hands sting.

"They usually ask us to spread their ashes in the Black Lake," Firenze said. "This one is offering you her horn."

"I can't take her horn!" Harriet hissed. The unicorn was obviously sick and not thinking clearly. "That is a terrible sin—"

"Do not make things up," Firenze snapped. "You are not the man who raised you, Harriet."

Harriet hugged the unicorn and closed her eyes as she rested her chin on her mane. "It is cruel."

"It is her final wish," Firenze pressed. "If you make arrow heads out of her horn, you can kill the one they call The Dark Lord."

"She wouldn't want me to kill anyone!" But Harriet knew that wasn't true. The unicorns wanted the Light to prevail. "What if… I'm not doing it while she's alive."

"Of course not." Firenze knelt beside them. "Give her something to ease her pain."

Harriet complied, taking anything that would be useful out of her pockets. To her surprise, the unicorn ate everything offered to her. With a sigh of relief, she closed her eyes. It was just like she was going to sleep.

* * *

That oaf Hagrid was late to a faculty meeting. Nearly an hour late. Severus felt himself sour further with every minute. Albus was as sweet as ever as he sucked on lemon drop after lemon drop. Of course Hagrid came busting into the faculty lounge sobbing like the overgrown baby that he was.

"The unicorns! One of 'em died las' night!" Oh for Merlin's sake! "And someone-and someone—"

"Out with it!" Severus growled. They couldn't stop whatever they were doing whenever a woodland creature died.

"Sawed off her horn!" the barbarian wailed. "Sawed off her horn and covered her with lilies! What if they star' killin' 'em all?"

"Lilies," Severus repeated. Now the world truly did seem to stop.

Hagrid nodded and blew his nose. "The centaurs are taking care of her! Firenze said she wasn' murdered but…"

Like a fool, Severus jumped out of his seat and started running out of the castle. Within an hour, thanks to charming his shoes to make him run impossibly fast, he was at the stump he usually left Harriet's potion on. He didn't know what to expect, her sitting there with a smug smile on his face?

She only left him a lily.

* * *

"I have to go." Harriet took a deep breath. Firenze said it was happening today. The castle was no longer a safe place, and the explosions she heard in the distance proved it. She hoped if she told Daddy, that he would take the time to escape so they wouldn't rip out his soul.

Daddy shook his head. She never told him about the training she did with Firenze, so he didn't know that she stood a chance. "They won't get this far into the Forest."

"I can't let them die." How many times had she practiced this conversation in her head? Harriet didn't sound as persuasive as she thought she would. She only sounded desperate. "If I could save them…"

"Save them so they can kill me?" Daddy's eyes were bulging as he started to realize that she wasn't going to be easily dissuaded and was actually taking fighting the Great Snake seriously. "Is that what you want? Because that is what will happen, Harriet! You will be setting me up for slaughter!"

"They won't…" All of the resentment that had been building up over the past few years was suddenly gone. She couldn't do this. How could she be expected to choose who lived and who died? "Surely they won't if I defeat the Great Snake."

"There is no defeating him!" Daddy yelled. "You will die, and you will also give away my location! If we stay here, we can live out the rest of our lives in peace."

"I can't…" Harriet's fist curled around the arrow. He didn't care that she might die. Did he? Harriet wasn't sure. The only thing she was sure about was that he cared that he might be found more. "I can't live like this anymore!"

* * *

After that, Harriet ran off for the castle, only to turn around halfway there. Fat tears gushed down her cheeks when she saw what Daddy left for her at their cave, and she sobbed all the way to the castle. She shouldn't have told him.

* * *

He was literally about to be burned at the stake. Of all the ways Severus had to die, this had to be the most ridiculous. If only Harriet hadn't killed that stupid snake. At least death by Nagini was more dignified.

Harriet. That was his only regret. That he wouldn't get to see her one last time. He knew that she must have seen him at least once after nearly three years. Why didn't she let him see her too?

"You could have had everything, Severus," the Dark Lord chided as he lit a bright orange flame at the end of his wand and pointed it at the wood beneath him. "Instead you chose the Light. Look at how exhausted they are. They can only watch as you slowly burn to death."

Those who weren't dead had been stunned. The Dark Lord had planned to burn them one by one as the others were forced to watch in horror. He had the luxury of going first, perhaps for old time's sake. He didn't think much of it until the sound of hooves pounding against pavement assaulted his eardrums. The Dark Lord knew she was coming and wanted her to arrive too little too late.

Well, Harriet was never afraid to be herself, he had to give her that much. Perhaps it was the smoke getting to his brain because before he could even comprehend that he was seeing Harriet for the first time in years, he was wondering if she would understand the concept of not being one's self.

She was riding a fucking unicorn like the lunatic that she was. With a gust of wind, the fire beneath him was out, but Harriet wasn't looking at him. She had an arrow ready and with a whistling sound, it connected with the Dark Lord's eye.

Almost immediately, his eye started to smoke and turn black. The magical infection began to spread across the rest of his face until the Dark Lord stopped it with a feral cry and a silent spell from his wand. Half his face crumbled into dust.

"Leave her to me!" the Dark Lord cried as half a dozen wands were pointed at her. Harriet jumped off the unicorn and stood ready with her arrow. Her face looked determined, but Severus saw that her arms were already starting to shake. Was she really capable of killing someone? The Dark Lord started to laugh, despite having half a face. "Well, well, well, Harry. I was wondering if we would ever get to meet again."

"Let him go." So now she was going to try to barter with him. The Dark Lord would rather die than compromise. "Let everyone go, and I won't—"

"You wouldn't no matter what." The Dark Lord was all smiles. "If you were going to, you would have done it by now. That's really why you've been hiding, isn't it?"

Harriet's grip tightened. "No."

"All that training you've done with Firenze was such a waste," the Dark Lord said quietly as her eyes widened. "What? You don't think I haven't been watching you, Harry? I've watched you pine after Severus every week for three years, never once making a true effort to make yourself known. Whoever would have thought that the daughter of Lily and James was such a coward? Although, anyone certainly would have predicted it of the daughter of Peter Pettigrew."

"You don't need to die." Harriet sounded like she was begging.

"How many have lost their lives because of your own weakness?" the Dark Lord asked lightly. "Hundreds? Thousands? There will be many more after you. I won't lie to you about that. Starting with Sever—"

Severus heard the whistling again before he saw the arrow slicing through the Dark Lord's neck. He sunk to his knees in utter shock and reached for the arrow, even though Severus doubted that he would be able to recover from it. To add insult to injury, Longbottom rushed to the scene and sliced him in half across the torso with Godric Gryffindor's sword.

The Dark Lord crumpled to a heap of black, screaming dust as Severus tried to fight through his stunner. Their master maybe be dead, but they were surrounded by Death Eaters with only Longbottom and Harriet to protect them.

* * *

"Don't run!" Neville yelled as Harriet dropped her bow and arrow. Firenze said that if she killed the Great Snake, that no one she loved would die. That's all he said. He didn't say anything about killing anyone else. "Harriet!"

Harriet shook her head, wanting to vomit. She just killed someone. She just killed… As her eyes rolled in the back of her head, Neville grabbed her arm and practically twisted it out of its socket, causing her to scream but stay conscious.

"We won," Neville yelled at the Great Snake's followers. "Drop your wands! Your master is dead!"

Harriet held her breath as half of the crowd disappeared in puffs of black smoke. Half remained, wands ready. "I-I won't kill anyone else."

Neville had his wand out too. The sword was abandoned. "Stun them."

"What?" Harriet shrieked when a bright red light shot out of Neville's wand. Someone fell to the ground, looking stiff, like Severus was against the giant log and the pile of people beside him.

A green light went flying for Neville, so the only thing Harriet thought to do was shove him to the ground. She didn't know magic like Neville but… she had her own magic.

Harriet closed her eyes, thinking of when Firenze made her uproot the trees in the winter. If she could just find a few roots... She breathed a sigh of relief as the ground shook. She could do this. She didn't have to kill anyone else.

At the sound of the screams, Harriet opened her eyes in horror, thinking she had killed somebody else. To her relief, it was because they didn't expect to be ensnarled in the roots. Even more of them were fleeing. Neville's mouth hung open for a moment before he continued with his red light.

She could do this. Harriet put her hands to the ground. The Great Snake was wrong. His followers were cowards. She could chase the rest of them off.

Firenze taught her how to make fire come out of her hands. She couldn't exactly wield it like he wanted, but she could make it come out of the ground. The smoke made more of them flee as thin flames shot out of the ground. Others tried to run away from it, making them prime targets for Neville's red light.

Harriet wiped the sweat off her brow as the frozen people started to wake up and join the fight. It was finally coming to an end.

* * *

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." After he was released and no longer stunned, Harriet left Longbottom to do all the work and simply clung to him, soaking his soot covered robes with her tears.

Severus wanted to say that it was alright, but it wasn't. Three years. It had been almost three years. She watched him beg her to come back to him every week for three years. Instead he wrapped his arms around her and listened to her desperate stream of apologies. At least now they could finally—

"Harry!" Black flung himself at her with such violence that she was knocked out of his arms and nearly to the ground. "Harry! For a second I thought—Oh Harry!"

"Sirius!" Well, at least she was happy. Harriet lit up. Three years of regret clearly forced her to let go of old resentments. "Sirius! I've never gotten to call you Sirius!"

Black pulled himself away and even though he was crying as much as she was, let out of bark like laugh. She started laughing as well as he pulled her into another hug. Severus suddenly felt like he was in the background. Perhaps it's better this way.

* * *

Harriet doesn't seem to think so and is in his room that very night. "They still fall for my old tricks," she whispered as she found him in his room that night, staring at his suitcase. "What's that?" She frowned when he doesn't answer. "Are mad at me?"

"No," he lied. That wasn't what was bothering him. Not at the moment.

"Oh." She smiled, even though she knew better than to believe him. "Then let's get married."

Severus turned away from his suitcase and narrowed his eyes at her. "What's wrong with you?"

"I have lice again. And apparently I'm very underweight." Harriet bit her lip when he glared at her. "Sirius said I have to live with him in London. Or I have to live in another place."

"St. Mungo's," Severus said flatly. She thought for a minute and then nodded. "You don't want to live there. You'll be miserable. And why did he say that, Harriet?"

And there it was. Harriet started playing with her hair until he swatted at her. If she started pulling it again… "I won't help them find Daddy."

How could she call him that? After everything? Severus felt bile rise in his throat. "Why not?"

Harriet shrugged. She had become a better liar, but she still wouldn't look at him. "He let me go."

"I was hoping that we were past lies and manipulations, Harriet," he said coldly. To his complete shock, Harriet's eyes filled with tears at his words, and for once, she didn't try to hold them back. "What?"

Harriet shook her head. "I don't want anyone to see him like that."

Severus's heart sunk as Harriet started to sob, full on sob. There was no beating her cries down, no recitation of 'crying is for babies.' Did she _do_ something to Pettigrew? "Harriet?"

* * *

Pettigrew had hung himself. After a good hour of hysterics, Harriet confessed to him that she had told Pettigrew of her plan, and they had argued, causing her to storm off and not return until later that day. She found him in their current dwelling.

"I can't believe it," Black breathed out. "After all he did to survive…"

Lupin's mouth hung open at the sight of his former friend, but to Severus, something seemed off. "He looks… rather blue."

"What a brilliant deduction, Snivellus," Black snapped. "It's almost like he can't breathe!"

"Shut up," Severus snarled as he took out his wand. They weren't really going to be tricked again, were they? He tapped the body with his wand and watched Pettigrew shrink before his eyes. What the…?

"It's a Cornish pixie!" Lupin said in disbelief. Now it was Severus's turn to gape like an idiot. Pettigrew hung a Cornish pixie, transfigured it into a golem of himself, and left it for Harriet to find.

He had escaped. _Again._

* * *

"Did you find him?" The tears hadn't stopped flowing since Harriet told him the truth, what she thought was the truth. She had blamed himself for Pettigrew's "death," and Severus didn't know what to do.

If she knew, she would never stop looking for him. Black insisted during the trek back. They had magically charmed their shoes to speed up the trip to hours instead of days, but Severus already had enough of his voice to last a lifetime. Everyone else agreed and wanted to lie to her. Lupin didn't even want her to know when the aurors found him.

"Yes," Severus found himself lying. He almost couldn't bare it when hope filled her features. She was hoping that she was mistaken. "There was nothing we could do."

Harriet's face fell, and she rubbed at her eyes, but the tears wouldn't stop. "I know." She clenched her fists, angry with herself. "I shouldn't have left him like that. It wasn't right."

She started to leave the castle, and Severus was almost willing to let her go. To lie to her like this… It was a crime all in its own.

"Wait!" Black didn't care about such things. He had his "baby" back, and had learned his lesson the first time. He wasn't going to let revenge get in the way of that. He was actually willing to let Pettigrew go. "W-we buried him. We didn't want you going back… to that."

Harriet spun around, looking angrier than he had ever seen her. She didn't believe him. Now would be the best time to confess. It wouldn't be as awful if the lie didn't last long. "Where?" she demanded. Severus had forgotten how gullible she was, although that in itself was foolish. It was her major flaw. "Show me. You can't just bury him anywhere. He…"

"In the field of lilies," Severus lied, feeling just as bad as Pettigrew. That was where he said Lily was buried. Even though she knew Lily wasn't there, she still considered the place sacred. She wouldn't dare go digging around looking for him.

Harriet deflated. All the hope was gone, and she would never look for Pettigrew again. Severus felt like a monster when she said, "Thank you."

* * *

His mother left him a small fortune after she died. Peter didn't want to risk returning to the wizarding world, but thank Merlin the goblins were only loyal to gold. He left them twenty percent to do with as they pleased. Their silence wasn't as expensive as he had thought.

He sighed at the thought of never seeing England again, but Harriet left him with no choice. He wondered what Mexico was like. James had always wanted to go. Lily was afraid of going somewhere where she couldn't speak the native language. Hopefully it wouldn't take too long to learn. He supposed it didn't matter. He had plenty of time.

 **Thank you Guest for reviewing chapter 13!**

 **I almost had Peter actually kill himself, but after all he had done, I didn't think he would. What do you think? Would it have been better if he did? What do you think of Severus lying to Harriet?**


	15. Guilty Conscience

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 15 Guilty Conscience

Severus missed Harriet so desperately that he didn't even care that he had a mutt chaperone whenever she visited him. The beast growled when they got too close.

"Why do you teach children to make poisons?" she asked as she watched him prepare an antidote for his upcoming lesson, one of his final lessons. When she leaned into him and the dog barked, she merely smirked.

"Because perhaps there is one in the classroom capable of making a better antidote than what is available," he said, not thinking she would understand that there were certain things that the Ministry wanted taught. Besides, this reason made more sense to him anyway. "Also, how can you identify a poison if you've never seen it?"

"Hmmm…" Her hand ghosted over his, so the dog started tugging at her skirt with his teeth. "Can you teach me?"

Severus raised his eyebrows as Black changed back, a signal that Harriet's time was up. "It would be easier if your reading were to improve. And perhaps you should focus more on your wand work."

"Let's go, Harry," Black snapped.

Hurt flitted across Harriet's features. There was distance between them ever since he had lied to her. Since she didn't know she had been lied to, she didn't understand that distance and was incredibly confused. That combined with her grief, her unnecessary grief…

"Okay," Harriet said sadly. Severus let her go.

* * *

"Everything alright, Harry?" Remus asked later that night. He was showing her the letters, which was something Harriet had been looking forward to, but now…

Harriet shrugged. They didn't like that she loved Severus, so no matter what, they would deny it if she asked if he loved her. There was no point. "I am… unhappy."

Remus softened, and like that, the letter books were shut. They hadn't even started. "You miss Peter." Harriet didn't answer. It wasn't necessary. "Perhaps he wanted you to move on, did you ever think of that, Harry?"

"No." He killed himself because she wanted to leave him and let him die. If she didn't… But then Severus would be dead. Maybe even Sirius and Remus. "I was going to go anyway."

"But you would have gone back?" Remus asked slowly. Harriet shrugged. She was nearly twenty one. It wasn't his business. "Harry…" Harriet closed her eyes, waiting for him to come up with another "comforting" explanation. "It's okay. To feel unhappy."

Harriet felt her eyes fill with tears. Crying was for babies. Daddy wouldn't want her to. "Thank you."

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Somehow, Harriet always managed to find him. Severus didn't know she knew how to use the floo and figured Black and Lupin didn't either. But surely Dumbledore did, since she probably entered through his office.

It was finals week and she was sitting on the written portions of his exams. She kicked her feet and gripped the edge of his desk, the only sign that she was nervous. "Did you take another wife?"

 _Another_ wife? He didn't know he had one in the first place. "Excuse me?"

"You said you loved me," Harriet pressed. "I heard you that day. But when I came out, you were gone."

"Then why didn't you come out the next week?" Severus asked, finally feeling the anger that had been quelled by the gratefulness that she was in fact alive. "Or the next week? Or the one after that? How many times did you listen to me beg? There are fifty two weeks in a year. Over a hundred?"

He was making her feel guilty. _He_ was making her feel guilty when he lied to her face. Harriet bit her lip. In that moment, Severus was sure that she was there every time. That was what was driving him mad those three years. He felt her presence. "Yes." She started playing with her hair until his glare intensified. "Can you forgive me?"

Can you forgive _me?_ She couldn't if she didn't know, but he didn't want to lose her. However, thanks to guilt, he already was. "I can," he said slowly. "If you can forgive me."

Harriet blinked in surprise. She didn't think there was anything to forgive. "For what?"

There was no turning back now. His heart started to pound. He knew that he had already lost her. "I'll show you the memory."

* * *

It had to be a trick. Harriet stared straight ahead at the wall after seeing Severus's memory. Daddy was alive. He didn't…

"Harriet." Severus was pleading, but Harriet was still trying to get her thoughts straight. Everyone wanted to tell her a lie for the rest of her life, including Daddy. Before Harriet could stop herself, she started pulling out her hair, something she hadn't done in years. "Harriet!"

She was so upset that it came out in fistfuls before Severus started wrestling her to get her to stop. "LIAR!"

Severus pulled away from her as if burned, but now that she was free, Harriet didn't touch her hair again. Her shaking hands had blood on them. She only reached for it again when she wanted to cry. Crying was for babies.

"STOP!"

They were both panting on the floor like animals. Harriet saw chunks of her hair on the on the ground near her feet and suddenly felt stupid. No wonder everyone had lied to her.

"I'm sorry," Severus said quietly. "I didn't _want_ to but…"

"But you did," she whispered. Just like she watched him in agony for nearly three years. She didn't want to, but she did. "Promise me something."

"What?" he said suspiciously. Harriet almost smiled. She had been hoping he'd promise before being told what he was promising.

"You won't tell anyone that I know." Harriet winced as she felt her scalp starting to sting. Why had she done that?

"Why?" he asked, even more suspicious.

"Because…" She wasn't going to go looking for him. Not yet anyway. If she found him, they'd take out his soul. One day, she would see him again, but not for a very long time. "I don't want him to be found."

That seemed to satisfy Severus. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, exhausted. Harriet put her knees to her chest, deep in thought. What now?

* * *

"Where's Miss Marlene?" Harriet asked a few days later. Severus had given her a salve that made her hair grow back, and although it felt like cheating, it was nice to have the stinging go away. But it was still a waste.

Sirius and Remus looked at each other, and if she wasn't mistaken, Sirius looked a little guilty. Very reluctantly, he said, "The Ministry. The Muggle one. She works for the Center for Missing and Exploited Children."

Harriet frowned. Muggles were people without magic. "Now?" It was night time. Even Nymphadora usually returned before night time.

Remus chuckled. "Probably, honestly. She spends most of her time working."

 _She used to work with me,_ Harriet thought jealously. "What does exploited mean?"

"Taken advantage of. I think she doesn't work on Tuesdays." At Remus's words, Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Would you like her to come over, Harry?"

Sirius opened his mouth to object, but Harriet wasn't having it. She wouldn't let them keep anything else from her. "Yes."

* * *

Marlene knew that Sirius wouldn't want her seeing Harriet, but she had forgotten how stubborn Harriet could be. The girl tucked her arm in hers almost possessively and started giving her a tour of Grimmauld, as if it was any different from three years ago.

"This is where I have school now." Harriet dragged her to the table that Remus no doubt wanted to bang his head on every day. She pointed to a chair. "You can sit here tomorrow."

"I have work," Marlene said weakly. Harriet used to be her work. Until she got too carried away. Harriet stared. "I'm not quitting my job, Harry. My work is very important."

She thought she'd never find Harriet, so she dedicated her life to finding other missing children. The job was rewarding but… It never felt like enough. When she found one, there were always hundreds, thousands more that were missing. She'd never be able to stop.

"You're full of doxy eggs," Harriet mumbled, causing Marlene to thin her lips. That was her equivalent of "you're full of shit." "Everything was supposed to go back to normal."

"Has it?" Marlene asked, trying her best not to go into healer mode. She didn't even know what "normal" was for Harriet.

More sulking. "No." She glared at Marlene as if it were her fault. "You're gone."

"It was my fault that you were able to leave," Marlene said quietly. She just itched to comb that rat's nest of hair she was sporting.

"I would've found a way anyway." And like that, the subject was dropped. Harriet held up a book about counting. "I don't _like_ this."

Marlene laughed and spent the rest of the evening trying to persuade Harriet that counting past two hundred was useful and that taking the time to tell time wasn't a waste of time. She felt Sirius's eyes on her the entire evening. Only this time, it was out of protectiveness instead of amusement or, as she had secretly hoped, love. Even though she desperately wanted to, Marlene wasn't sure if she should come back next Tuesday.

* * *

"Why does your hair look like that?" Severus asked one night. Harriet had shifted her sleeping schedule it seemed and snuck to Hogwarts when Lupin and Black thought she was asleep. Her hair was worse than James Potter had ever managed. "Are you still pulling it?"

"No." Clearly this was not what she had in mind. She glowered, resembling a cat that had just been stepped on. "I just twist it."

She did it instead of crying, he noted. Unfortunately, in Black and Lupin's minds, they hadn't seen each other in nearly a week. Severus wondered if he should give her something to untangle it, but then, Black and Lupin might not notice and try to help her. "You need to stop."

Harriet shrugged and did what she did best, changed the subject. "You never answered me before. How you taken another wife?"

"I didn't know I had one to begin with," he said dryly. "Harriet—"

"You said you loved me, and I love you," she said simply. "Unless you no longer do, we're husband and wife. I left you that lily. Did you get it?"

Severus stared, and she stared back, dead serious. "That is not how this works—"

"It's how it works for me," Harriet said darkly, jealous of his imaginary second "wife." "Where is she? Has she given you children? Just because I don't link with the moon often—"

"HARRIET!" The last thing he wanted to hear about was how often she menstruated. Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. "There is no one else. But I'm worried about you. If this is all too much…"

"Everything's different now." Harriet put her arms around herself as if she were cold. "I thought…"

"Things would just pick up where they left off?" Severus filled in for her, reminding himself how young she was. She shrugged, knowing she was being childish. "Harriet… Almost everyone thought you were dead for those three years. And life went on. They _grieved_ for you. You can't expect…"

"Do you still love me?" she asked.

He never felt comfortable saying it to anyone. Severus couldn't recall even saying it to his own mother. It was easy in the Forbidden Forest. He was desperate, devastated, and not face to face with her. Now, she was staring at him with wide, terrified eyes, but just when she started to give up and look away, he breathed out, "Yes."

Harriet laughed nervously. He could never recall her being embarrassed about how she felt about him. It was gone within an instant, and she was practically leering at him. "I've been wanting to mate with you for a long time."

"Harriet?"

"Hm?"

"Shut up."

* * *

Severus woke up in a tangle of sheets and lanky limbs. Harriet was pretending to be asleep, but she couldn't resist smiling when he shifted. "I've finally got you."

"Congratulations," Severus grumbled. "Do you want me to build a trophy shelf for you to place me on?"

"What?" Harriet was a morning person while he clearly was not. She opened one eye and laughed at his scowl. When she finally released him, she placed her hands on his shoulders. "Again."

"Harri—" Her lips were suddenly on his, and like he was some dunderheaded teenager, he sunk into the bed and started making love to her again. "Certain people, who I'd rather not mention at this particular moment, are going to be looking for you."

With a gasp, Harriet dug her nails into his back. "Then don't mention them."

"We have to talk about… arrangements." Severus hesitated. This was definitely not the time for this conversation. It should have been last night before they… But Merlin it was nearly nine o'clock! "They can't know about this."

Harriet paused, and he waited for her to shove him off of her. Instead, her face turned a shade redder. "I wasn't planning on telling them…"

"Really?" Severus laughed with relief and kissed the spot behind her ear. "I thought you were going to shout last night's events from the headmaster's tower."

"No." She grinned mischievously. "Because I've finally got you. I'm not about to ruin it."

Severus shook his head at her bluntness. "So you'll come back tonight?"

"If you finish what you started!" she said impatiently. Severus laughed harder than he had in years.

* * *

"Why do you want to live here by yourself?" Harriet asked. The house smelled funny and had so many books she could barely walk. She opened one, and couldn't even read the first sentence.

"I don't like to teach," Severus said. Even he surveyed the place with distaste. "This was my parents' home, before they died. I will stay here until I can afford a better house."

"By yourself," Harriet repeated. "You should live—"

"I'd rather rip my own eyes out." He smirked, knowing she was going to say with Sirius, Remus, Nymphadora, and their baby, who wasn't a baby anymore. Harriet blushed at the thought. She and four year old Teddy were reading the same books.

"Sirius let me visit you in the castle." Harriet didn't want to admit that she didn't want to live here with Severus. The houses were too close together like Grimmuald, but unlike Grimmauld, the backyard was a disgusting mud puddle, which had a few pieces of trash instead of anything resembling a living thing. She probably couldn't have a garden there. "And you don't like it when I come over this early in the morning."

"I was actually hoping that they were going to give you a bit more freedom." Severus pointed his wand at a pile of books, and they started zooming into a pair of boxes. Soon enough, the room would be filled with boxes instead of books. But the books just kept zooming and zooming, and the boxes looked nowhere near full. "Magic, Harriet."

"I think they're still upset with me." Harriet had to put pillows under her blankets because she discovered the other night that Sirius checked on her when he thought she was asleep. He'd just peer in her doorway and shut it and walk away as soon as he saw she was still in her bed.

"Imagine that," Severus said dryly. Then, he softened and added, "Give them time."

Harriet pulled him into a hug, and closed her eyes when he wrapped his arms around her in return. Sirius would be doing his third check in about fifteen minutes. She had to go. How long would it be until they didn't have to sneak around?

* * *

"Can we visit Severus today?" Harriet asked, even though she knew what the answer would be. She wanted to see their reaction, if they were going to lie to her again.

As usual at the mention of Severus, Sirius dropped whatever he was using with a loud crash. They were eating breakfast, so his pumpkin juice full glass was the latest thing to shatter. "Uh, well…"

"He's not at the castle," Remus said honestly. At least Harriet didn't have to look surprised. She thought they were going to make excuses until they absolutely had to tell her. By the look on Sirius's face, he wanted to. "I'm not entirely sure where he lives now, actually."

"We have other things we wanted to do today anyway, Harry," Sirius said loudly, so loudly that his voice was almost a squeak. "We-we're going to Gringotts. To learn about money."

"I'd prefer if she was better with her sums first," Remus argued quietly. "And I'd prefer it to be on a weekday when it's less crowded."

But Sirius waved him off. Harriet had no idea what they were talking about now. She just knew that it wasn't Severus. "We'll show her how to buy things. Maybe it'll get her interested in her maths."

"Bye?" Harriet said blankly. She was already annoyed.

"Purchase," Remus tried, but she still had no idea, causing him to flush a bit, and Sirius to sigh sadly. "Like, let's say you wanted something. You could give someone money in exchange for it."

"Like Severus," she said flatly. Nymphadora, who was trying to wake up with some smelly drink called coffee, laughed at Harriet's words.

"Severus isn't a thing," Remus said with amusement that Sirius wasn't willing to partake in. "Think about what you like, Harriet. Apples, paints, animals."

"Animals aren't things," she mocked.

"Let's go to the bank!" Sirius said loudly. The pitch of his voice was a bit high, which Harriet found weird. He didn't exactly like Severus, but he was a lot kinder to him than she remembered. Weird. She'd have to figure out how to use this to her advantage. Until then, she supposed she was going to the "bank."

* * *

Harriet didn't like the bank. There were too many people bustling about. Remus sensed her nervousness and tried to distract her by telling her endless facts about the place. The short men were called goblins. No one had ever successfully robbed Gringotts. Sirius had a story about that for later. Twenty nine knuts make up one sickle, and there are seventeen sickles in one galleon. Harriet was starting to get a headache.

"This is all yours," Sirius announced sadly when they were brought to a room filled with thin, shiny rocks. Harriet only felt more overwhelmed, causing him to falter. She supposed it was pretty. "From your parents. The gold ones are galleons. The silver ones are sickles. And the bronze ones are knuts."

"Hmmm…" Harriet didn't really know what to say. Stating the obvious fact that it was shiny was simple enough to make her feel stupid for even thinking of it. "Okay…"

The goblin man filled the awkward silence with, "We would like to speak to the girl privately."

Sirius tensed. "Absolutely not!" he yelled with a protectiveness that annoyed her. "She—"

"She has to learn some independence, Sirius," Remus whispered. "What's she going to do if something were to happen to us? We aren't going to live forever."

"Teddy will take care of her," Sirius said stubbornly, causing Harriet to flush with embarrassment. Teddy was a baby. "Or Molly. Or—"

"Clearly she doesn't like that idea," Remus said quietly. "The goblins are not going to let anything happen to the last Potter." He smiled. "Because then the Ministry would get a hold of her gold." The goblin sneered at the thought.

Sirius glared at him. "Fine."

"It will only be a moment," the goblin informed her as they headed for a smaller room. The second they were alone, Harriet started playing with her hair. She almost yanked a piece out when they stopped at a door. "Peter Pettigrew left you a small amount of gold before he departed. And a few properties."

Daddy. Harriet felt like the world stopped. "Do you know where he is?"

"Yes." And clearly he had no intention of telling her.

"I'm his daughter," she pressed. If she could just… If she could just say goodbye… Or maybe even, when she learned to write…

"No. You're not." The goblin seemed to enjoy telling her that too.

Sirius said goblins love gold. Then Remus added dryly that most intelligent creatures do. Harriet didn't, so she had no problem saying, "If you tell me, you can have what he left me. The gold. And the… properties."

The goblin grinned.

* * *

Once and a while, Marlene gave dating a shot. Over the past few years, nothing felt meaning full to her. Tonight was no different as she sipped her margarita at a Mexican restaurant in London. There was nothing wrong with the guy. He just wasn't… right for her. Marlene wasn't even one hundred percent sure of his name.

"Why are you so suddenly interested in Mexican culture?" Was that Snape? Snape out for tacos? "Why do you suddenly know that there is a Mexico?"

That could only mean… He wouldn't. After everything he had done, he wouldn't.

"Remus reads to me…" Harriet! Marlene did her best not to tense. They were sitting at the table behind her, and her back was to them. If she didn't draw attention to herself, they wouldn't notice she was there. "So are we in Mexico now?"

"Harriet…" Snape sounded concerned. How dare he sound concerned?! He was… Marlene clenched her fists, trying not to scream. Her date probably thought she was nuts. For years, she thought Harriet was dead. Because of _him_. "It's another country… meaning… It's a lot bigger than the Forbidden Forest. And has a lot of people. Millions. And they don't speak the same language as we do."

"Oh." Harriet sounded disappointed. "Let's go then."

Snape started to argue, but then, a mariachi band started to play and that was enough for him to want to leave immediately. Marlene held her breath as they walked past her, but they didn't even notice. Snape's arm was around her waist, almost protectively. But Marlene knew better. It was possessive. She wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

"Excuse me." Marlene no longer cared what her date thought. "I have a family emergency."

She had to tell Remus and Sirius.

 **Thank you Guest, .73, and Gime'SS for reviewing!**

 **How do you think Remus and Sirius are going to react? ;) Sirius and Severus did have some moments when Harriet was missing!**


	16. In Sirius Denial

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 16 In Sirius Denial

"How come you don't let me drink that?" Harriet asked the following night. Severus drank a dark liquid in a bottle, but he gave her something that was a similar color but from a different type of container.

"Wine will make you intoxicated." He frowned. "You don't like the juice?"

It was too sweet, but that wasn't the point. "It's not what you drink," Harriet said stubbornly. "What's wine?"

Severus rubbed at his eyes. He always felt guilty when he had to explain simple things to her. "It's a beverage with alcohol in it. It… relaxes you, in a way. But too much of it can make you sick, especially if you aren't used to it."

"Well how am I going to get used to it if I can't have it?" Harriet asked coolly. Before he could answer, she snatched the bottle off the table and ran into the living room with it. She started laughing when he began chasing her and had the bottle to her lips when someone knocked on the door. Severus immediately took his wand out.

"Go home," he growled.

Harriet blinked in surprise. "But—"

"Go!" Wand still draw, Severus headed for the door, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. The last time someone knocked on the door, Severus opened it, and a man gave them pizza, which was very good. "I don't know who it is."

"SNAPE!" Sirius. Harriet froze. "Open the fucking door! Where's Harry?"

Harriet looked down at what she was wearing. A silky dark purple robe that Severus had gotten her. It felt very nice, but it wasn't the fluffy pink pajamas she had left in. Those were on the floor in Severus's bedroom.

"They can't get in unless I let them," Severus said quietly. "Get dressed and go home."

"But—"

"We'll figure it out," he pressed as Sirius started pounding on the door. "Just… go."

Harriet sighed and went to his room to change. How long could this go on?

* * *

"Where's Harry?" Black demanded when Severus finally opened the door. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Lupin was with them. Hopefully Nymphadora was sleeping, considering she was the only one who worked at Grimmauld.

"I assume at your house." Severus forced his voice to rise with false worry. "You lost her?"

"No." Lupin was too smart for mind games, although Black paled at the possibility. "I'm sure she's home now. What were you doing?"

"Reading." Thankfully, Severus had a plethora of books in every room. "Not that it was any of your business."

"Marlene saw you," Lupin went on as if he hadn't spoken. "At the Mexican restaurant."

"Do I look like someone who would go out for tacos?" Severus drawled. Harriet was suddenly obsessed with Mexico, for some reason. She never gave him a straight answer, knowing there was no one he could ask.

"Harriet has been very interested in Mexico lately." So Lupin had no idea either. Great. "She wants to go."

"That is a wonderful bit of trivia, Lu…" Severus felt his heart sink. She had never exactly taking initiative into exploring the world before. Sure, she went along with what he suggested like the local art museum, but she was perfectly intent to stay in her own little world. There was only one person she'd travel thousands of miles to find, and Lupin and Black believed that she thought he was dead. "I need to speak to her."

"Like hell you will!" Black yelled. "What were the two of you just doing? Planning to run off to Mexico?"

Talking in the kitchen after having sex. Now, she was safely at Grimmauld. Should he tell them? Harriet had no idea how to get to Mexico, and even if she did, it would be nearly impossible for her to find Pettigrew. He would talk to her as soon as she returned… If she returned. "Nothing. Because she's not here."

Black made to charge at him, but Lupin grabbed his arm. "We'll be back."

"Oh joy." Severus hoped he didn't sound as nervous as he felt. He regretted not telling them as soon as they left. What should he do?

* * *

Harriet stretched and forced herself to yawn. The sooner she headed off to bed, the sooner she could sneak off to Severus's. "I'm tired…"

"We haven't heard from Severus in a while," Remus said as she rose from her seat in the library. "Don't you find that odd, Padfoot?"

Sirius gritted his teeth and instead of saying it was a good thing, he ground out, "Yes. Very odd, Moony."

"Can he come over?" Harriet didn't like being sneaky. Things would be much easier if they thought it was their idea.

Remus's eyebrows shot up. "No… Harry, where were you last night? And the night before that?"

"Sleeping," Harriet lied automatically. "In my bed."

"Really?" Remus asked calmly. "Because Marlene could've sworn she saw you with Severus at a Mexican restaurant a few nights ago." Harriet said nothing because up until the other day, she didn't know what a restaurant was. She didn't know how to lie her way out of it. "The two of you aren't exactly average people. I don't think she could have been mistaken."

"What were the two of you doing?" Sirius nearly yelled. When she didn't answer, he rose from his seat. "I'm shutting off the floo."

"He's my best friend," Harriet forced herself to say as he started to stomp off. Sirius stopped with his back turned to her and clenched his fists. "And my husband."

"WHAT?"

Severus said they weren't "legally" married, but Harriet didn't care. They needed to understand that they loved each other. "Yes. We love each other."

"Love?" Remus asked quietly. "Harry, do you even know what that means?"

"Yes," Harriet said slowly. Even babies know. "I'm not stupid."

"No…" Remus sighed. "Harriet, you were raised in an emotionally, mentally abusive environment. You were completely dependent on someone who lied and manipulated you for almost your entire life. Severus is old enough to be your father. He would have been, if your mother had returned his feelings for her. I fear that you are simply a replacement for Lily. And I also fear that you do not see that because of how you were raised."

"What do you mean married?" Sirius yelled.

"We love each other, so we're married," Harriet said bravely, causing Remus to give Sirius an odd look. There was nothing out of the ordinary with what she said.

Remus wouldn't stop making that odd, uncomfortable face. "Did you sign anything, Harry? Like write your name on a paper?" he asked slowly. "Or go to a ceremony? Or get a ring?"

"No." Harriet frowned when Sirius sighed in relief. Instead of explaining, they started talking about her like she wasn't there.

"We'll just ask him."

"She's just a kid," Sirius whispered.

"Exactly." Harriet narrowed her eyes at Remus's words. "But she's also almost twenty one, Sirius."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius snapped. That was what she wanted to say to him. She was not a kid.

Remus sighed. "We can't exactly stop her. There's nothing we can do but—"

"You just explained to her how wrong this is!" Sirius shouted.

Remus pinched the bridge of his nose as Harriet balled her fists. She understood every word they were saying, and they were acting like she wasn't there. "I don't want to wake up one day, and she's gone. Again."

Before Sirius could open his mouth, Harriet butted in. "Severus stuck by you when no one else did! He said the two of you were the only ones who believed I was alive and-and…" Her voice was rising with every word. "I know he's not like Daddy because he's the only one who doesn't lie to me!"

Harriet clamped her big mouth shut as both men tensed. There was only one thing they were lying to her about. Like a coward, she ran upstairs.

* * *

"I know you're not sleeping, Harry," Nymphadora said tiredly. She knocked, but Harriet kept her head under the pillow. Remus's wife wasn't one for games. "Severus is downstairs." Harriet popped her head up, earning a chuckle from Nymphadora. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but Sirius really went back on his word after you came back."

Harriet turned to face her. "What do you mean?"

Nymphadora tapped her chin. "I recall him saying that he didn't care what you do with Snape as long as you came back. Then he threw up on my shoes. Never mess with a girl's shoes." She winked and started to leave.

"Wait!" Harriet jumped out of bed and ran for her. "You hate Severus."

"I did." Then, she softened. "But I don't think you would have come back if it wasn't for him. He's changed, and at this point… Remus is thirteen years older than me. And I remember your mum. You may look like her, but you're not her." She shrugged and then gave up on putting all the jumbled thoughts in her head into words. "In order for you to grow up, they need to give you the chance to."

* * *

Severus had a gash on his head, but it wasn't bleeding. He and Sirius were pointing their wands at each other while Remus seemed caught in the middle. Without looking at her, he said, "I told you we aren't married, Harriet."

Harriet had yet to come down the stairs. Although nothing was happening, there was a tenseness that she was reluctant to go deeper into. Remus almost sounded pleading. "Severus tells us that the two of you travel about London. Go to Museums, try new foods, and that is all."

Severus finally looked at her and raised his eyebrows. She would be foolish not to agree. At least, right now anyway. "And that we were talking about opening an apothecary. As business partners."

"There is no way I'm letting you be alone with her," Sirius snarled.

"Yes," Severus drawled. "Let her be completely dependent on you for the rest of her life. You are certainly doing her justice, _Peter_."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

"What are you going to do?" Severus asked coolly. "Keep her in this house, only leaving when you leave, for the rest of her life? It's certainly much smaller than the Forbidden Forest."

"SHUT UP!"

"She will never have a life under your thumb," Severus continued darkly. "No social skills, no job. She won't even be able to walk down the street by herself if you keep this up! Where will she be in ten years? Twenty? In this house, listening to you tell everyone that she's still a child?"

Sirius's wand arm faltered, but he didn't lower it. "You're having sex with her."

"No, we're not," Severus lied smoothly, causing Harriet's stomach to twist uncomfortably. This could have been their chance to have everything out in the open. "After everything that has happened, do you think she is ready for that? Whenever she is out of the Forest, things happen too fast for her. She needs a break."

Severus had said that he and Sirius had some sort of strange bond while she was gone, that Sirius trusted him. Remus's jaw dropped when Sirius lowered his wand. Harriet felt even sicker. Severus was a liar just like the rest of them. Just like her.

"You can teach her at Hogwarts, and that's it," Sirius seethed. They started having sex at Hogwarts. "I'm blocking the floo to your house."

Severus nodded in agreement. "Very well."

* * *

"You can't honestly believe him," Remus snapped as soon a Severus left and a furious looking Harriet ran back to her room. The slam of the door told him exactly what was going on. They were most definitely having sex.

Sirius shook his head and sunk into the nearest chair. "He's right in a way. I don't want Harriet to be completely dependent on us, but I have no faith that she's not going to need someone caring for her for the rest of her life. He thinks she can learn, and I should have too."

"She's disabled." Remus sat next to him. "Just because it's not physically or intellectually—"

"She's not," Sirius said firmly. "How about I hogtie you and throw you into a foreign country? Let's see how you'd fair."

"It's different," Remus said gently.

"It's not." Sirius put his face in his hands and took a deep breath. "You wouldn't be able to read or understand the money or what everyone's saying. Hell, you'd be better off because you'd have some inkling of what the hell is going on."

"So you're just going to let her run off with Snape?" Remus asked, trying to keep his voice under control.

"I don't know." But he was shaking his head no. "When she was gone, I accepted it. I didn't care anymore. I just wanted her back. Now that she is back, I want what's right for her and it's certainly not him…"

When he thought Harriet was dead, Remus thought both Severus and Sirius had lost their minds. Because they loved her. But Lily was Severus's first love, and Remus couldn't let that go, so how could Severus? Harriet's face was slightly different, and she was thinner and shorter. That was the only different in appearance. Personality wise, she was James with a splash of extra sneakiness. She only had Lily's intelligence. What did Severus view her as? A little Lily? Or just Harriet?

"I don't know either," he said quietly.

* * *

"I've been waiting in this bloody castle for you for four hours," Severus snarled. Harriet was angry with him, which was why he needed to talk to her. What did she expect? Him to tell Black they were fucking and then they all sit around for some late night tea?

Harriet stuck her nose in the air and continued to walk to the Great Hall. "Well, if you're just my teacher, I figured I could have others." Here we go… "Poppy and Pomona said they'd teach me too."

Severus grabbed her wrist, but she yanked it out of his grasp. "Harriet."

She whipped around and glared at him. "You gave this whole speech about how Sirius can't keep up with treating me like a baby forever. So what? Are we going to hide this for the rest of our lives?"

"I intend to outlive Black and certainly Lupin," Severus said dryly, causing her to turn around. "Harriet, they have to be eased into this."

"I want us to be like Remus and Nymphadora," Harriet nearly whined. Then she added, "And Edward."

He was going to ignore that last part. Severus shuddered at the thought. "You saw how they reacted. They're conflicted. Give them a chance for what they know to sink in."

"I'm mad at you."

Severus almost rolled his eyes at her honestly. At least that was what Black and Lupin heard when they arrived to retrieve her.

* * *

"I'm mad at you." Harriet wanted to say that to everyone she knew right now, except Nymphadora and Edward. But she especially wanted to say it to Miss Marlene, who stopped by for dinner the following Tuesday.

Miss Marlene did not seem to care in the slightest. She merely looked tired, but lately, she always looked tired. "I'm not letting you get hurt because of _him_. I should have said something years ago, instead of confronting you about it."

"God forbid I decide anything for myself," Harriet said rudely.

Miss Marlene bit her lip, finally feeling guilty. Good. "I ruined everything back then, Harry. You could have been killed."

"But I wasn't." Harriet opened one of her books. They were in the kitchen, waiting for a super sweet food called sugar cookies to cook. She couldn't even read Edward's books. "The Great Snake is dead."

"But his followers aren't," Miss Marlene said softly. "Severus thinks he can just take you out in public like that—"

"I wanted to go!" Harriet yelled. She felt horrible almost immediately. "I want to go to Mexico."

"Why?" she asked suspiciously. Harriet merely shrugged. "… Well I'm sorry, Harriet. You'll understand one day."

No, she wouldn't. Sirius and Remus were the ones that were going to one day understand. Harriet wanted to rub it in Miss Marlene's face. "I see Severus every Saturday." Starting this past Saturday. And she was mean to him that day. And probably didn't have more than a few minutes with him. "By myself."

"By yourself?" Miss Marlene squeaked as the cooking machine made a noise.

Harriet pointed at the machine. "Sirius says if you don't turn it off, flames will be everywhere."

She was done with Miss Marlene.

* * *

"Was Harriet lying to me earlier?" Marlene asked Sirius after the cookies were done; Harriet took one bite, grimaced at the sweetness, and then headed upstairs. "She said you let her see Snape alone at the castle."

Sirius shrugged and shoved an entire sugar cookie in his mouth. "Dumbledore will keep an eye on them."

"Dumbledore?" Marlene repeated. "Dumbledore? He's been rooting for them this entire time!"

Sirius closed his eyes and seemed to be counting in his head. "You sound like Remus."

"I'll consider that a compliment," Marlene snapped. "You're going to lose her again!"

"I'm trying not to!" Sirius said loudly. "Without Snape, she would probably still be in that forest, with Pettigrew, unable to speak."

"So now you're on his side?" Marlene couldn't believe this. Snape was worse than Pettigrew. He helped Harriet run off to Voldemort. Helped was a strong word, but he might as well have!

Sirius ran a hand through his hair nervously. "No! I mean, I don't know. He was there, and he believed she was alive when no one else did. I needed someone else to believe back then, and strangely enough, he was there."

And she wasn't. As much as she wanted to be, Marlene wasn't. She couldn't bear having Sirius blame her at the time. Her own self-blame was enough to nearly kill her. Sirius hated her anyway, and she thought Harriet was dead. It had been better for her to flee. "I ruined everything."

"No, you didn't." Did Sirius look guilty? "At the time, hell yeah you did, but I still missed you. Is that crazy? I hated you so much, but I missed you."

"I…" It had been too long. "I have to go."

Sirius's guilt increased. "You should come over more often." Then, he blushed and forced himself to cough. "For Harry's sake, that is."

Marlene laughed, a forced, awkward sound that nearly sounded like a choking noise. "She hates me."

"No, she doesn't." Sirius turned a shade pinker. "Just like I don't."

Marlene smiled but left quickly after that. She didn't know what to do.

* * *

Harriet peered over his shoulder as she watched him fill out an order for Poppy. Slughorn was too busy throwing parties to do his job, and she was acting like nothing had happened last Saturday. "Pain potions are a waste."

"According to Pettigrew," Severus grumbled. "Going to Mexico any time soon?"

"No." Harriet wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her chin on his shoulder. She must be standing on the tips of her toes. "I'd rather stay with you. Even if you're full of doxy eggs."

Severus paused before adding a dash of ground coffee. "I'm not even going to ask if you know exactly where he is." Although she may not know. She thought that Pettigrew would be at a Mexican restaurant, and when she had asked him to go, she had just said Mexico. "So you aren't angry with me anymore?"

"No. I'll get what I want eventually." How could he love someone who was so like James Potter? "And I don't think Sirius or Remus believed you anyway. Nymphadora gave me some coverings for your penis this morning."

Severus froze. As usual, Harriet was talking as casually as if she were talking about the weather. "Did she?"

"She said not to have sex with you if you don't put them on," she recited cheerfully. "Sirius and Remus were still sleeping."

No wonder he was still alive. Severus turned around to see Harriet smiling evilly. "Harriet?"

"Hmm?"

"Shut up."

And so their affair continued.

 **Thank you gr8rockstarrox for reviewing!**

 **gr8rockstarrox: She knows about kissing from stories Pettigrew told her. Like of his and Lily's "wedding" day and what not.**

 **I think the next chapter is the last one. That's why I was taking so long with this one. I was trying to extend it, but that would have dragged it out too much. I'll write one more chapter with my usual clichés. ;) Then, maybe an epilogue or a sequel? I'll see what you guys have to say.**


	17. Harriet the Adult

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 17 Harriet the Adult

 _October 31, 2007_

"Do you know what day it is?" Severus asked, knowing exactly what Harriet was going to say, a literal answer.

She looked at him flatly. They had closed up shop for the day, so Black was bound to be sniffing about soon. "Wednesday."

Severus rolled his eyes. "We met ten years ago, Harriet. Ten years exactly."

"Oh." Anniversaries of any sort, even birthdays, never fazed Harriet much. "Interesting. I am twenty seven, so I suppose you're right."

"Thank you," Severus said dryly. "So… The flat upstairs is empty again."

He drove every tenant out. Apparently he was an intolerable landlord. It didn't matter to him, however, because he wanted Harriet to move into it with him. She knew that and told him no every few months when he managed to drive a tenant out.

"Interesting." She smiled slowly. "You know my conditions."

Severus glared at a customer who tried to waltz in two minutes after closing time. With a squeak, she scurried away. "Black and Lupin know. They simply pretend not to."

Harriet stole a kiss just as the floo was lighting up, signaling Black's impending arrival. They never explicitly stated their relationship, and, to keep violence to a minimum, Black and Lupin never acknowledged it, "believing" that Harriet slept over Granger-Weasley's house a few times a week. " _My_ prince must be brave enough to fight the Knight and Devourer of Humans."

"It's dinner time, Harry," Black said cheerfully as soon as he stepped through the floo. Then, as an afterthought, he added a curt, "Severus."

"Black." Severus did his best to sound bored, but whenever Black interrupted this conversation, his heart sped up. Sooner or later, she was going to get tired of waiting for her "prince" to be "brave" and take matters into her own hands.

But Harriet merely smirked and stole what he said earlier. "Did you know we met ten years ago? Ten years exactly?"

Black laughed quietly and ruffled her hair. "Nice try, kid, but we met the day you were born."

"You saw me come out of Mummy's vagina?" Harriet asked lightly, causing Black to stutter and choke on air. Some things never changed.

* * *

"What does this say?" Harriet was lounging on his sofa Sunday, studying for her mastery exam. She could have passed years ago, if she wasn't at a mid-fourth grade reading level. And that was stretching it.

Severus sighed and sat on the arm of the worn out sofa. "Separate the words, love."

"Counterclockwise?" Her cheeks colored when he nodded solemnly. "I can pass it."

"I know but—"

Harriet's eyes hardened. "I can pass it."

Every year for the past four years, she took the exam. Every year she failed miserably. Severus knew he shouldn't have, but he read her a practice exam last year, and she received an Outstanding. She had been studying with him for almost six years, so obviously she would have. However, one had to be able read to be a Potions Master. Severus hoped she would pass in her mid-thirties.

Harriet yawned and pouted. "You don't think I can."

"It's not…" Severus thinned his lips. She was exhausted from studying constantly for days and getting nowhere, even though she was very familiar with the material. She was trying to start a fight. "Don't you paint with Black every Sunday?"

"I'm not in the mood," she grumbled before putting a pillow over her head. Severus let her be and started cooking a light dinner. She'd be miserable for a few days after the results came back and then perk up, stating that she'd try again next year.

* * *

Harriet hated crying, but every year after she took that test at the Ministry of Magic, she headed straight to the bathroom and cried loudly into her hands. This year was no different.

This year, she thought she had it… for the first five questions. She knew her written answers weren't good enough, and she knew her handwriting was terrible, but she could answer them when Severus verbally asked her. She knew what all the words meant when he said them out loud but…

Harriet wiped her eyes but didn't leave the bathroom until they looked less puffy. There's always next year.

* * *

"Harry!" Teddy was eleven and "loved her to bits." Sometimes, Harriet thought Sirius made up phrases. "You'll never guess what I learned at school today!"

Magic, Harriet thought. She was too stupid to learn that too. She was always breaking things when she tried. "What?"

"Don't sound so excited," Sirius joked. He always picked her up after the exam. If he thought it was going to be particularly hard on her, he brought Teddy. "Ice cream anyone?"

"No," Harriet said sourly.

"It's just a license, Harry," Teddy said knowingly. "I'd trust you with Dad's potions over some old codger with a license any day."

"Thanks Ted." She still didn't want ice cream.

* * *

"Do you want to open it?" Severus asked a few weeks later. The results were delivered to the apothecary. Harriet didn't want Sirius snooping around and opening them.

Harriet glared at him. During times like this, the customers preferred Severus to her, a stark contrast to the usual. "No," she grumbled as she slunk away. He didn't say anything for the rest of the day, so Harriet knew she failed.

* * *

Sirius didn't even pick her up. Remus used the term "giving her space." Harriet was in no mood for phrases she barely understood, so she slept over Severus's just to bother them. He curled an arm around her waist.

"It was only by twenty points," he muttered in her ear. "Next year, or maybe the year after that…"

Another a year, maybe two, she could get an Acceptable. Harriet turned to face him. "I forgot how to spell asphodel, and I didn't understand the last question at all."

"Which is a lot better than last year," he pressed. Harriet clenched her teeth, trying to force herself not to cry. "I'll tell Lupin to buy you more challenging books."

"Teddy has plenty." Harriet sat up and rubbed her eyes. "I'm going home."

"It's two in the morning," Severus complained. "I don't like you using—"

"I know how to use the floo!" Harriet yelled. "I'm not a baby!"

"I didn't—"

Harriet stomped off and slammed the door before he could finish. She wasn't a baby, but she was sure acting like one. Harriet didn't care.

* * *

One day, Sirius kissed Miss Marlene. She moved in within weeks, and in Harriet's mind, they were already married. Then, one day after playing in the snow, Sirius got down on one knee as Harriet was bringing hot chocolate into the living room.

"Will you marry me?" he asked nervously, causing Miss Marlene to cry happy tears.

Before she could so much as nod, Teddy ran up the stairs yelling to Remus and Tonks, "He finally did it! He finally did it!"

Just as she gasped, "Yes!" Tonks ran down the stairs, tripping and tumbling halfway down.

Harriet didn't know what to say as they opened a drink called champagne that made her head spin. _I thought you were already married_ didn't seem quite right.

"We're going to make a promise to love each other forever," Miss Marlene explained, "in front of all our family and friends. I'll show you as we start planning, Harriet! Because you'll be a bridesmaid!"

 _A what?_ Harriet felt like an outsider, not because they weren't including her, but because she had no idea what was going on and didn't want to ruin things by asking. Ten years. After ten years, she still didn't belong.

* * *

"Harry," Miss Marlene said over breakfast one morning. She never took the ring off that Sirius gave her. Harriet wondered why. Tonks had two rings that she always wore. "We've noticed that you've been a bit down lately, since your exam."

"So Marlene has an awful idea," Sirius butted in. "Just ignore her."

Miss Marlene swatted at him before continuing. "I thought a bit, well a lot, more independence would make you happier." She glared at Sirius, waiting for him to dare to interrupt. "So Sirius bought the house next door for you."

"But I'm adding a connecting door!" Sirius added loudly.

Harriet frowned. She wanted to be just like everyone else. Hermione and Ron didn't need connecting doors or to live next door to their family. They lived on their own. "I want to move into the flat above the Apothecary."

Sirius hardened. "Absolutely not."

"Snape will look out for her," Marlene tried as they prepared for bed that night. She had a feeling that Harriet was so quiet for the rest of the day because either she was going to do it anyway, or that she was hurt that Sirius didn't believe in her.

Sirius narrowed his eyes and roughly ripped their comforter back. "Oh that makes me feel _loads_ better."

Marlene didn't like it either. She liked Snape even less than Sirius but… Harriet was getting close to thirty. It was her choice, and she was so down on herself because she wanted to be an adult like any other twenty seven year old. "I know, baby, but… She needs this. She can always come back."

"But she won't." That was what bothered Sirius the most. He loved living with Harriet. "He's disgusting."

Or not. Marlene sighed. "I want her to be happy."

"She was happy," Sirius grumbled. "Until she took that bloody test. She defeated Voldemort for Merlin's sake! They should give her a break and read the damn thing to her."

"She'll feel a lot better about herself when she passes it by reading on her own," Marlene pressed. "Please support this, Sirius. It'll give her so much confidence."

"They'll start having sex," Sirius hissed.

Marlene blinked and had to force her mouth to stop hanging open. Talk about being in denial. Did he really think…? It had been six years! Even Remus knew! Did Sirius think he bought condoms after having a vasectomy for the hell of it? "Oh…"

"Exactly!" Sirius yell whispered. "Maybe if she rooms with Ron and Hermione. She sleeps over there a lot anyway."

Good lord… He was worse than the typical clueless dad… Marlene thinned her lips and treaded carefully. "It's important to her, Sirius. She wants to prove to herself that she can do things by herself."

Sirius opened his mouth to say that she couldn't, and his face immediately fell with guilt. "I'm happy with her just the way she is."

"But she isn't," Marlene pressed. None of them had a problem with Harriet living with them and still needing help. She was able to learn so many things. She could cook, she had a job, and she was finally learning how to socially do things by herself like pay for things. It was astounding, but right now, Harriet didn't feel like it was. "I think this is more than the exam. She feels like she doesn't belong. Like in our world. Her Forest Kingdom is nonexistent, so she's feeling like there's nothing for her."

"That's not true!" Sirius snapped.

"So let her figure that out for herself," Marlene said gently.

Sirius didn't speak to her for the rest of the night, but the next morning, he told Harriet he would help her move into the flat.

* * *

"I want to live here by myself," Harriet explained to Severus after Black headed upstairs with a dining room chair.

"Why?" Severus said suspiciously. She was taking longer to get over her yearly failure than usual. Harriet shrugged and picked up a box to bring upstairs.

"Teddy!" Lupin yelled in exasperation. Edward ran upstairs to hide Canary Creams in the fridge. She was lucky Black and Lupin were here. For now.

"I told you I want to live here by myself," Harriet said tiredly after everyone left. "So you can go now."

Her odd behavior was making him more and more paranoid as the day went on. She barely touched her food at dinner, even though it was one of her favorites, pizza practically smothered in vegetables. Severus couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Are you planning on going to Mexico?" Severus barked, causing Harriet to jump. "Because as I told you five years ago, if you go, I'm sending hundreds aurors after that pathetic excuse for a man, and they'll do worse than kill him."

He shouldn't make ultimatums with her, he knew, but Pettigrew was the one person he knew he'd lose her to. Harriet's face colored with embarrassment and unshed tears.

"I want to…" Harriet gestured about the living room as she tried to find the words to a situation that she didn't understand, that she wasn't exposed to growing up. "I'm not one of… I can't…" She hyperventilated for a moment and tried again. "I can't do magic and I can't read and I thought Sirius and Miss Marlene were already married and-and at least let me take care of myself!"

She ran for the bathroom before he could see her shed a single tear. Severus felt like a piece of shit and was rewarded with the door being slammed into his face. She locked the door, and Severus didn't have the heart to unlock it with magic. "Harriet…"

"Leave me alone."

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose and left, not knowing what to do.

* * *

The next day, Severus wanted to close shop as soon as Harriet came down. He'd take her to the art museum or wherever she wanted to go. But Harriet came down with a backpack.

"I'm going to get some ingredients today." She shrugged and her face had a blank, sadness about it. "I'll be back."

She flooed to Hogwarts without another word. What was he going to do?

* * *

Harriet tried to sleep in the cave she used to share with Daddy. It was too cold and, somehow, too small.

She didn't need to spend the night. Her backpack was full, and she had quite a bit of unicorn hair, which Severus would use to buy anything else they needed. Harriet stared at her old artwork, but stood up when sleepiness tugged at her eyes. She needed to go home. But where was home? The flat was too lonely.

"It's been a while, Harriet," Firenze said dryly as she started heading back. She visited the Forest a few times a month, but not often once it started to get cold. "You look lost."

"I'm not—" That's not what he meant. Firenze knew more about Civilization than she did. "I want to be part of _there._ "

Firenze raised his eyebrows. "Then what are you doing _here?_ "

Harriet pursed her lips as Firenze gazed at the stars and smiled. "I don't know."

Firenze finally tore himself away from the stars. "Sometimes we need to be lost."

She should have known better than to talk to him.

* * *

The next morning, Harriet burnt her eggs, too busy thinking about other things, like her plans to go downstairs and pretend that she hadn't been miserable these past few weeks. Like a child, she didn't want Severus to find out and scarfed the blackened eggs down before he arrived to open the apothecary. Somehow, she thought he'd smell them from her trashcan. She wanted to throw up by the time the first set of customers arrived.

"Are you sick from running around in the cold last night?" Severus drawled as she started looking green. He was mad at her, and she didn't blame him. Harriet shrugged, not wanting to admit her childishness. "Harriet?"

Harriet smiled weakly. She couldn't say, _I cooked my eggs too long and didn't realize until I saw smoke._ Sirius was always afraid of her burning the house down, and she almost did having one of her first meals alone. "I tried to sleep outside, but Firenze told me to go home."

"So you're finally listening to reason," Severus muttered, but he still looked worried, and he softened. "Go rest upstairs. You can always come back down."

Harriet wanted to protest, but she could already feel the sensation in her throat that she was going to throw up. She nodded quietly and all but ran up the stairs, only to be rewarded with the lingering burnt smell of her breakfast.

As soon as she shut the door behind her, Harriet threw up all over the floor. Sirius and Remus always used magic to make it go away when she or Teddy were sick. Remus said her immune system wasn't good because she wasn't exposed to many human illnesses. Then he spent a few minutes explaining to her what an immune system was.

But Harriet wasn't good at magic, so she had to use a rag, soap, and water. She should be used to vomit. She was sick at least twice a year. With a gag, she threw the rag out, no longer caring what Severus would find in the rubbish bin.

And with that, Harriet sunk into bed, still feeling completely inadequate.

* * *

She slept deeply, barely waking up when Severus's cold hand was over her forehead. He breathed a sigh of relief and sat at the foot of her bed. "Harriet, this has to stop. You can't let a test define you."

Of course he had to bring it up. Harriet groaned and put a pillow over her face. "I want to be normal."

A heavy silence hung in the air as if she had said particularly foul. Harriet slid the pillow away from her face to Severus watching her grimly. "I prefer the Harriet before me."

"I burned my food," she admitted. Severus raised his eyebrows, silently saying, _Is that truly the worst of your sins, Harriet?_ "And ate it."

"Clearly," Severus said dryly as he brushed some hair away from her face. "Judging by the soggy soap stain by the door… I love you the way you are."

He hated saying _I love you_ , for some reason. Harriet didn't understand why it made him feel weak. Maybe in the same way that he didn't understand why failing the test made her feel stupid. "I love you the way you are. Well, accept for—"

"Harriet? Shut up." His lips quirked into a small, rare smile at the tiny spark of her that returned. "I'll tell them."

Harriet perked up for the first time in weeks. "Really? After six years?"

"After ten," he said quietly, already looking pale. "Even though they already know."

Harriet sprang up and yanked him into bed with her. Her prince was finally going to face his fears.

* * *

Harriet was _excited_. She and Severus would finally get to live together. She'd pass her test next year. She already told Sirius and Remus, but she wanted Severus to say it. It never sat right with her that he refused to tell them. In a way, she was refusing to live with him as husband and wife until he set things right.

"It really means a lot to me," Harriet told Poppy as she dropped off an order. "But I do want to be more independent… But I don't like living alone."

Poppy chuckled. "It's only been a few days, love. However, most people don't live alone."

Harriet shrugged and turned to the side where her backpack was sitting on a hospital bed. "I don't like it. I like to talk a lot." Poppy frowned as Harriet handed her several vials. "Miss Marlene says it's because I never really had friends growing up. Daddy didn't talk a lot when he had sicknesses of the mind, and I was lonely." Poppy was still frowning, so Harriet corrected herself. " _Depression_."

Poppy nodded. "Harriet, can you stay back for a few minutes?"

She had hours until dinner. "Sure!"

* * *

Why did he agree to this? Severus felt like a child. Harriet was insisting on telling Lupin and Black that her flat was more than a chance for her to learn how to live on her own. Her surrogate fathers had yet to acknowledge their relationship as more than owning a business together, and now, to try to drag her out of a spiraling depression, he was going to tell his old bullies that he was fucking and moving in with someone they considered their daughter.

Black was chewing angrily as Severus sat across from him. He couldn't bring himself to eat, and of course Harriet pranced in ten fucking minutes late. She ran her hands through Edward's currently blond hair and sat down with a small smile on her face.

"Harriet…" Lupin cleared his throat and tried to speak again. "We don't think—"

"YOU'RE NOT DOING THIS!" Black yelled. "He-he'll-he is not laying a finger on you!"

"Sirius," Lupin hissed, causing the dog to deflate. They were working on talking to Harriet like she was an adult. "Harry—"

"I spent the day with Poppy," Harriet said brightly, which led to Severus staring at the dreadful clock all day without her constant chatter to distract him.

Lupin elbowed Black in an attempt to force him to talk like a human being. The dog forced himself to smile. "Yes. She's been trying to firecall me all day." He seemed encouraged by Harriet's eager grin. She was a little too chipper, considering the past few weeks. "Because she thinks you should be her apprentice. You know…" A dark look was cast Severus's way. "Instead of… _his._ You spend too much time with him."

"That wasn't what it was about." Perhaps Harriet had finally seen reason. Black and Lupin didn't need to "know," even though they pretty much did and liked to pretend that they didn't. Severus started drinking his wine to calm his nerves, waiting for Harriet to start bragging about whatever potion she had created today. "Severus and I are going to have a baby!"

He spat wine in Black's stunned face.

 **Thank you for the review of the last chapter urbanmanatee!**

 **I'm torn between a sequel or an epilogue, so keep a look out for either! Thank you for reading this story!**


	18. The Prince Family

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.**

Chapter 18 The Prince Family

"Who knew you made decent kids, Snape," Black… Sirius said as they watched Laila get her hand and footprints taken. Harriet had succumbed to exhaustion and was sound asleep in the hospital room.

Snape. He hated the last name more than anything, yet he kept it for so long. It was the main reason that Laila Potter was written on his daughter's hospital bassinet and birth certificate, one of the main reasons he had yet to formally marry Harriet.

"Thank you," he said sarcastically.

"Dad!" Rowan was nearly six now and was running towards him with Edward tiredly following him. "Mummy said I can hold her!"

"Your mother lied," Severus said dryly. He always regarded his newborns as if they were made of glass. They were too small, both of his children. "In a few months."

The boy narrowed his bright green eyes. "Mummy said I'm big enough."

Sirius's snickering almost Severus consider it. He glanced at Laila. She was a week early, while Rowan was over a week late when he was born. Even though it was only by a pound, she seemed so much smaller as she dozed in her bassinet with all the other infants.

"Not yet." Severus smiled slightly when the boy groaned until B-Sirius promised the boy sweets from the gift shop. The whining immediately ceased. He was definitely Harriet's child.

* * *

"We're going for a hike." While he considered his newborns to be fragile, Harriet was ready to take them out into the forest near their cottage as soon as she recovered from the birth. Little Laila was six weeks old. Harriet grinned at his scowl. "Coming?"

"No." He stood up from the kitchen table and took Laila, who whined at being taken from the sling at Harriet's breast. "And neither is she."

Harriet rolled her eyes and let the baby curl her tiny fingers around her index finger. "It's nice out. Rowan's stir crazy. She doesn't want to do paperwork with you."

"And he could use an hour alone with you." Severus hoped she wouldn't look at what he was working on. Now that he was taking the time to formally change his last name to Prince, he found himself a little embarrassed.

But she didn't and only halfheartedly glared at him. "I just had her."

Severus grinned. "So you won't be long."

"Ugh!"

* * *

Harriet wanted Severus to come with them. She needed to talk to him. She didn't know how to explain it to him, but she wanted Laila to be the last baby. She loved her babies, but… There was a completeness about her family that she couldn't put into words. Everything felt right.

"Mummy look!" Rowan was pointing to a trio of pixies beckoning them forward. "What are they?"

Harriet smiled wistfully. Severus still hated them. "Some of my dearest friends. Did you know they can talk?"

"Really?!"

Harriet laughed, and they ran through the forest, playing tag with the pixies and letting the afternoon escape them.

* * *

 _Pettigrew Apprehended by Mexican Ministry!_

Severus's heart sunk. They didn't subscribe to the paper, so he didn't see the headline until he went to pick up the engagement ring he planned to give Harriet. What was he going to tell her?

 _Nothing._ He could hear Sirius saying it even as he bought a copy before flooing home. He couldn't do that to her, of course, but it was oh so tempting when he arrived home to find her feeding Laila on the couch while Rowan played with his toys at her feet. They had such a perfect, quiet life.

Harriet brightened at his arrival, but her face immediately fell at how horrified he must have looked. "Are you okay, Severus? You look sick."

Rowan leaped to his feet. "I'll get the thermometer!" Now that Laila was here, he enjoyed any stolen alone moment with his mother, and that would include taking the time to prepare a potion for Severus.

"Don't celebrate just yet," Severus said dryly.

Solemnly, he handed Harriet the paper. As she read it, he barely paid attention to Rowan shoving the thermometer in his mouth and nearly choking him. He waited for her to spring to her feet to rescue him. Her eyes glistened, but no exclamations came. Worse, she became incredibly quiet.

Rowan ripped the thermometer out of his mouth and made for Harriet since all the color drained from her face. Severus scooped him up, ignoring his kicks and protests.

"I need to go for a walk," she nearly whispered. Severus wanted to tell her no, but he was her partner, not her father. What scared him the most was that she left Laila and Rowan behind.

* * *

"Daddy," Rowan whined when Laila wouldn't stop crying a few hours later. "She's hungry."

Severus thinned his lips, trying not to snap at the boy when he was going mad with worry. "I know."

Rowan gestured to his chest. "Well. Go on. I won't look. Teddy said I shouldn't look."

"What?" Severus closed his eyes, reminding himself that the boy wasn't even six. He considered his son incredibly intelligent for his age, but the boy was in fact, still a five year old. "Rowan, I am not a woman."

Rowan stared, an act that he got from Harriet to illustrate that he was confused. "Daddy, she's hungry. Stop being grumpy."

Before he could explain matters to the boy, Harriet ripped open the door. Her shirt was soaked with breast milk, but she still took the inconsolable Laila into their room and shut the door behind her.

* * *

"You're scaring me," Severus said later that night. Harriet was running her hands through Laila's wispy hair, which was starting to turn red. "The Ministry is bringing him back here. To Azkaban."

Harriet's eyes met his, looking completely exhausted. "I'm a terrible person, Severus."

After the War, the dementors were banished, and Azkaban wasn't much worse than a Muggle prison. There would be no Kiss, which Severus thought wasn't very fitting. It was tempting to push for the death penalty, but he couldn't do that to Harriet. After all these years, he was sure that part of her hadn't moved on. Perhaps if Pettigrew was killed…

But he couldn't do that to her. Harriet never spoke a word of it, but he was sure that she still saw Pettigrew as a father figure. How couldn't he be? He raised her, taught her how to love. Harriet wouldn't be Harriet without Pettigrew, as much as he hated to admit it.

"You can visit him." The words felt bitter in his mouth, and he wanted to retch at the thought. He only hoped that a goodbye would shake her out of this.

Harriet tilted her head to the side. "Like Firenze?"

His heart sunk even lower, if possible. She visited the centaur at least once a month, more if Rowan begged. He wanted to say no, that she couldn't see him at all, but Harriet was nearly thirty three years old, and like he said earlier, his partner, not his child. "Yes."

"Okay." Harriet didn't look appeased. Perhaps she would, after she saw _him._

* * *

"Are you insane?" Sirius hissed. He swooped in the very next day, and Severus was surprised he hadn't come sniffing about sooner. "You can't let her visit him!"

"Harriet does not need my permission," Severus said coldly.

"Dad!" Rowan ran into the kitchen. "Mummy says you'll take me to the bookstore!"

Severus ran his hands through the boy's messy hair. Harriet was shoving books at him by the time he was three. "Go brush your teeth. We'll pick out something for your sister too."

"And I going to read it to her!" he said proudly before marching off to the bathroom.

"Will you let him go?" Black asked.

"Absolutely not," Severus barked, realizing he fell for the trap too little too late.

"I bet she'll bring Laila," Sirius taunted.

"She will not," Severus growled. Then, he softened as Harriet came into the kitchen, dragging her feet as she opened the fridge to pour herself a glass of milk. He had a feeling she was only eating so she could feed Laila. "Harriet?"

Her sad eyes fell on Sirius. "I can't paint today. I'm sure Rowan would love to."

All the trickery slipped out of Sirius, and he became just as concerned as Severus. "Harry—"

"I just had a baby," she said flatly. "I need a little while to feel myself again."

"O-okay," Sirius said feebly. Harriet slunk back to her room, giving him the opportunity to round on Severus. "You can't let her go."

"Let her go?" Severus repeated as quietly as he could. "If I don't _let_ her go, she'll start sneaking. And then what? I'll wake up one day, and everyone is gone!"

Sirius's eyes widened at the confession. Over the years, they went from reluctantly civil to almost friends. Never, not even to Harriet, did Severus allow himself to be this vulnerable. As sick as it was, he wished the Ministry had never found Pettigrew.

"C'mon Dad!" Rowan grabbed his hand and grinned. "Are you coming too, Grandpa?"

"Y-yeah," Black said quietly. Now Sirius didn't want to leave _him_ alone. Great.

* * *

Severus woke up the day of Harriet's visit with Pettigrew to the sound of her crying. With a sigh, he rubbed his eyes and sat up. Sleep had been fitful these past few weeks, and it wasn't at the fault of their newborn.

Harriet's eyes were red, telling him that she had been crying for some time. "I'm sorry!"

"You don't have to be sorry." Severus waited for her to calm down, but she wouldn't. "I'm not angry with you for wanting to see him."

"I'm a terrible person," she gasped quietly. Her shoulders shook as she put her face in her hands.

Severus put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. "He raised you and was your entire world for seventeen years. There's nothing wrong with loving him."

"I don't want to go!"

Oh. Severus held his breath, waiting for her to explain. All this time she must have felt like he was pushing her to see Pettigrew when in fact, he was trying his best not to _forbid_ her to go.

Harriet choked down a sob before explaining. "I-I want to stay here with Laila and Rowan and _you_. He-he's my dad, and I don't want to see him! I didn't want to see him ever again!"

Severus opened his mouth to intervene, but Harriet barreled on. "You don't make Rowan feel guilty when you want something and you never l-lie to him and… and you don't make him d-dependent on you and he-he's so _brave_!"

So she finally saw it. Seeing him raise their child with her made her finally see her childhood for what it was, which was heartbreaking to say the least. All of her memories were probably tainted now, and Severus didn't know how to make it better.

"You need to tell him," he said quietly.

Harriet froze, fully expecting him to indulge in her misery and let her hide from Pettigrew forever. "What?"

"You need to work past this, Harriet," he whispered as Laila started to stir. "You'll feel better."

Harriet shook her head. "I was past this."

"Until he was found." Severus felt terrible when the baby started to cry, and Harriet forced herself out of bed to feed her. She needed this, more than he needed her to stay.

* * *

For the first time since she was pregnant with Rowan, Harriet wanted to pull out her hair. There was a buzzing noise when Daddy was let into the visitation room, surrounded by aurors. Harriet started biting her nails.

He looked healthy. Miserable, but healthy. Wherever he was, he was able to get a tan and put on quite a bit of weight. He sat across from her with a sigh. "Princess…"

"Don't call me that." Her voice was small but firm, making him look up in surprise. "I'm not a princess."

"I know." The words seemed to defeat him. "Harriet…"

"Why…" Harriet swallowed at the lump in her throat. "Did you ever love me?"

She expected him to lie through his teeth, say anything for her to try to get him out of prison. Instead, he told her the truth. "Not enough."

Harriet bit her lip, thinking of her own children. Because of them, she wasn't willing to say out loud that she loved him, even though she did. Loving him as a father seemed like a betrayal to them, a betrayal to Severus. Instead, she confessed, "I wish you did."

Daddy looked at her sadly, and his words only confused her. "I wish I did too."

So why didn't he? Loving Rowan and Laila was so easy. She couldn't imagine treating them like he treated her. Harriet wanted to scream at him that she hated him, but she knew that would be a lie. Given their relationship, perhaps what she chose to say was worse. "I don't need you."

He raised his eyebrows, surprised. His words surprised her even more and were what she needed to hear most. "Harriet, you never did."

* * *

"Let's go camping!" Harriet couldn't keep his hands off him when she returned home. Severus almost groaned when Rowan started cheering and running to his room to try to pack all his toys. "Please?"

"You seem rather chipper," he said dryly.

Harriet hugged him and buried her face in his chest. "I'm where I need to be."

They had a magical tent complete with a library, thank Merlin. Severus was perfectly content to sit with the baby while Harriet and Rowan picked berries and she taught him how to fish. She still didn't eat meat, but when Rowan wanted to like Severus, she didn't try to stop him.

"Daddy!" the boy exclaimed proudly at supper time. "Look! _I_ catched it!"

Harriet beamed while Severus tried his best not to yell at Rowan to keep the dead fish away from the baby. "Are you going to teach him how to cook it, Severus?"

Severus glared at her until he spotted Rowan trying to show Laila. "You can show her when it's cooked and free of germs." The boy lit up and nearly tripped over himself to run over to him with the damned fish.

* * *

"How is Mummy?" Severus asked as they started to fry their dinner.

"She wants to play again," Rowan said happily. "Are you goin' to play wif us tomorrow?"

Severus smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. "Of course."

* * *

"We're playing tag!" Harriet called out from the living room where she was snuggling with Laila. She laughed as soon as she said it, knowing it was the game he hated the most. He _was_ over fifty.

Thankfully, with the baby in a sling, he was "base." He would never admit it, but Rowan's shrieks of joy as Harriet chased him warmed his heart. He recalled chasing her through the Forbidden Forest during the unicorn incident, and her trying to coerce him into saying that he loved her. With a smirk, he grabbed her arm. Rowan full on belly laughed and started climbing a tree to try to stay out of his mother's clutches.

"Hey!" she yelled indignantly, but she was smiling.

"I love you," he said seriously, causing her to stop panting and complaining. "Will you marry me?"

Harriet's face absolutely lit up and Rowan nearly fell out of the tree. "I thoughts you guys was already married!"

With tears in her eyes, Harriet laughed at their son's words. _"Yes!"_

 **Thank you for the reviews Hewie101, Guest, and Kath3rin! And thank you all for reading this story!**

 **So I started making a direct sequel and I didn't like it very much.** _ **So**_ **I decided to make another Severus and Harriet story. Maybe they'll have Rowan in that one?**

 **It's somewhat similar to this. Same Harriet grew up in the Forbidden Forest plot, but Peter gives her to Voldemort in the very beginning. It's called The** _ **Thrill of the Hunt**_ **. Check it out on my profile if you're interested! The first chapter is up!**

 **Also, there's a really good Snape x fem!Harry story called** _ **Moonlight's Shadow**_ **by Silenti Aspicientis if you're looking for another one.**


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